Iowa's $225 Million Kraft Heinz Factory Earns National Honor

A top publication in the food and beverage processing industry has recognized the state-of-the-art Kraft Heinz meat processing and packaging factory in Davenport with a national honor. The $225 million facility, which produces Oscar Mayor Deli Fresh meats and Lunchables, was named the 2018 Plant of the Year in North America and will be honored at a national conference in April.

The Davenport facility is the first major construction project since Kraft Foods Group and H.J. Heinz Co. merged in 2015. The 382,000-square-foot factory sits on a 70-acre site in eastern Davenport. It replaced a Quad Cities facility that had been in operation since 1946.

“Due to the level of automation employed, as well as hygienic design elements and the innovation present in the processing and packaging lines, the Kraft Heinz plant truly is an example of the future food factory built today,” Debra Schug, editor in chief of Food Engineering, said in a news release.

A spokesman for the Kraft Heinz Co. said the business has invested more than $1.5 billion in recent years to upgrade manufacturing facilities worldwide.

“Designed with the future in mind, this new plant provides manufacturing flexibility as well as more efficient production capabilities," said Michael Mullen, senior vice president of corporate and government affairs for the company. "This investment demonstrates our long-term commitment to producing Oscar Mayer products in the Davenport/Quad Cities area.”

“We are excited to hear the Davenport facility is being recognized for the state-of-the-art-facility it is,” said Stephen Gray, president and CEO of Gray Construction, which built the factory. “It’s been an honor to have worked with Kraft Heinz on such a milestone project.”

Kraft Heinz officials will receive the award at Food Engineering’s Food Automation & Manufacturing Conference and Expo April 8-11 in Florida.