Walmart opens first-ever owned and operated case-ready beef facility

By: Trademagazin editor Date: 2025. 07. 09. 09:48

The discount giant opened a case-ready beef facility in Olathe, Kan. On Friday, June 27, 2025. This marks the first time Walmart has had an owned and operated location for producing case-ready beef and is part of the retailer’s broader effort to create a proprietary, end-to-end Angus beef supply chain.

The facility will process fresh beef into case-ready cuts, packaged and ready for retail, which are then shipped directly to Walmart distribution centers to serve stores in the Midwest.

Walmart also expects the facility to generate increased business for suppliers and service providers. The retailer launched its end-to-end Angus beef supply chain program in 2019, and in June 2021 introduced McClaren Farms beef, the first product from the program, in nearly 500 stores across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina.

Other moves to strengthen its internal beef supply chain have included making an equity investment in Sustainable Beef, a Nebraska-based, rancher-owned company sourcing local cattle, in 2022.

“The opening of our new facility in Olathe, Kansas, is centered on delivering more of what our customers want — affordable food and quality they can trust,” said John Laney, executive VP, food, Walmart U.S. “This is the first case-ready facility fully owned and operated by Walmart, and that milestone ensures we’re able to bring more consistency, more transparency and more value to our customers.”

Now, the newly opened, 300,000-plus-square-foot, case-ready facility will package and distribute Angus cuts sourced directly from Sustainable Beef LLC to stores across the Midwest.

Walmart internally sources milk, greens

Walmart has also been developing an internal milk supply chain. The company opened its first milk processing plant in Fort Wayne, Ind. in 2018 and also plans to open a milk facility in Valdosta, Ga., as well as facility in Robinson, Texas with a target opening in 2026.

In addition, Walmart made a minority investment in Plenty, an indoor vertical farming company, as part of a $400 million Series E funding round in 2022. As part of a long-term commercial agreement, Walmart will source leafy greens from Plenty for its 250 California stores from Plenty’s Compton (Calif.) farm. These efforts also support Walmart’s commitment to invest $350 billion in U.S.-made products by 2031.