The new facility will be built in Robinson, Texas and will create around 400 new jobs when operational. It represents another strategic move for the retailer, which is seeking to strengthen its supply chain, improve efficiency, and make sourcing more transparent. The plan forms part of Walmart’s pledge to invest $350bn in products made, sourced, grown or assembled in the US over the course of a decade.
The corporation opened its first milk processing facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 2018 and announced plans for a second one, to open in Valdosta, Georgia, in 2025. A spokesperson for the retailer told us at the time that because the facility is under Walmart’s ownership, “we’ll have the ability to control the entire bottling and packing process to ensure it meets our rigorous quality standards for our private brand offerings and follows the appropriate regulations set by the industry”.
Go deeper: Walmart's Valdosta milk plant
Improving transparency at this level also chimes in with consumer attitudes and demands to understand how their food is sourced. “We understand the way our customers’ shop has evolved over recent years and more customers are seeking greater awareness of where their food comes from, with higher expectations around quality and sourcing,” the spokesperson added.
The Robinson milk plant is slated to become operational from 2026 and will process a similar variety of milk products to the Valdosta plant. This includes gallon and half-gallon formats of whole, 2%, 1% and skim milk, as well as 1% chocolate milk for Walmart’s Great Value and Sam’s Club’s Member’s Mark brands. More than 750 Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs in the south will be served by the milk plant, including Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and parts of Arkansas and Mississippi.
Bruce Heckman, vice-president of manufacturing at Walmart, commented: “We’re excited to be able to provide Texas and its surrounding states with high-quality milk sourced primarily from Texas dairy farmers.
“This new facility continues our commitment to building a more resilient and transparent supply chain and ensuring our customers’ needs are met for this everyday staple.”
