Chobani to Invest $567 Million in Michigan La Colombe Facility Expansion
Almost exactly a year after announcing a $500 million expansion of its Twin Falls, Idaho, plant, and less than a year after breaking ground on a massive, $1.2 billion new plant construction project in Rome, N.Y., Chobani is making capital spending waves again — this time for its La Colombe coffee business.
Chobani announced a multi-phase, $567 million expansion of its La Colombe plant in Norton Shores, Mich., which will add more than 200,000 sq. ft. and more than double the employee roster of the facility. The company is investing in this project in response to surging demand for La Colombe’s ready-to-drink lattes, according to the release.
La Colombe launched its RTD lattes in 2016, and they have been made in Norton Shores since then, using locally sourced Michigan milk. The facility currently employs 312 people, and the expansion is expected to add about 340 additional positions. Chobani acquired La Colombe in December 2023 for $900 million.
Chobani estimates that the increased production in Norton Shores means the company’s milk purchases should increase from approximately 30 million pounds annually to about 615 million pounds.
About the Author
Andy Hanacek
Senior Editor
Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.