VALDOSTA, GA — Walmart has opened its second owned-and-operated milk processing plant, a $350 million investment that will generate over 400 new jobs and greatly enhance the company’s capacity to deliver high-quality, affordable milk to customers across the Southeast.
The over 300,000-square-foot Valdosta plant represents a significant step in Walmart’s effort to develop a transparent, resilient, end-to-end supply chain for its Great Value and Member’s Mark dairy products. By sourcing directly from local dairy farmers, the facility will process and bottle a full range of milk options for more than 650 Walmart and Sam’s Club locations across the region.
“This new facility has innovation at its core,” said Bruce Heckman, vice president of manufacturing for Walmart U.S. “It will bolster our capacity to meet the demand for high-quality milk, make our supply chain more resilient, and build even greater transparency around sourcing. We’re excited about what this means for Walmart customers, regional farmers and the Valdosta community.”
The plant follows Walmart’s first milk processing facility in Fort Wayne, Ind., and supports additional investments in case-ready beef facilities in Thomasville, Ga., and Olathe, Kan. Together, these efforts advance Walmart’s broader U.S. manufacturing pledge, which commits to sourcing $350 billion in U.S.-made, grown, or assembled products by 2031. Currently, more than two-thirds of the retailer’s annual product spending already meets that target.
To mark the opening, Walmart awarded local community grants, including $5,000 to the Greater Valdosta United Way and $8,000 to the Valdosta High School Marching Cats. In fiscal 2024, Walmart stores, Sam’s Club and the Walmart Foundation contributed a combined $56 million to organizations across Georgia.
