In the small town of Perham, Minn., sits Bongards Creameries, a leading national cheese and whey manufacture who recently announced a $125 million expansion project. The project is expected to begin in July and will increase the plant’s capacity to take in 5.5 million lbs. of milk per day, an increase of 30%.
“With this latest investment, we will be able to continue supporting the growth of our business, allow our current farmer-owners to expand, and allow us to bring on new members,” said Daryl Larson, Bongards CEO, in a press release statement. “In order to increase our milk intake by nearly a third, many aspects of the production process need to be expanded.”
The expansion project includes:
- Milk intake bays
- Cheese packaging equipment
- Whey drying and packaging equipment
- Whey warehousing
- Wastewater treatment
Bongards Creameries is a farmer-owned co-op that was formed in 1908 in the southeastern Minnesota town of Bongards. The co-op’s dairy farmers are based in Minnesota and North Dakota. Corporate offices are in Chanhassen, and the company’s three production facilities are in Bongards, Minn., Perham, and Humboldt, Tenn.
Previously, Bongards completed a significant expansion of the Perham plant’s capacity in 2015, expanded warehouse capacity in 2022, and replaced the existing cheese vats and evaporator in 2023. In 2018, Bongard’s opened their new headquarters in Chanhassen, Minn.
In 2020, the Central States Water Environment Association recognized Bongards with the Industrial Water Quality Achievement Award in recognition of the creameries waste reduction goals, wastewater treatment success, water reuse, and other environmental initiatives at its Perham natural cheese production plant.
Major work on the project is expected to commence in July 2023 and be completed in June 2025. Construction is being completed by a local Perham contractor.
