Empirical Foods, based in Dakota Dunes, SD, announced late last month it will open a new ground beef facility in Garden City. Once fully operational, it is expected to more than double the company’s ground beef production and employ around 300 people.
“Demand for Empirical’s lean ground beef requires us to significantly increase our processing capacity to meet the growing needs of our customers,” said Empirical Foods President Craig Letch. “This presents an exciting opportunity for the future of our company and the communities that we call home.”
The Garden City facility is Empirical Foods’ largest single investment in the company’s 40-year history and will supplement its South Sioux City, NE, location. Groundbreaking for the state-of-the-art facility will take place during the first quarter of 2020. It is expected to be completed between 2022 and 2023.