Conagra opens $300M Waseca Birds Eye plant

Jun. 29—The Free Press

WASECA — A new $300 million Birds Eye vegetable processing plant has opened in Waseca.

Conagra Brands built the highly automated 245,000-square-foot facility to support its frozen-meals business and Birds Eye brand.

"The significant investment in our new facility in Waseca is indicative of the strong opportunity we see in our frozen foods business," Sean Connolly, president and CEO, said in a statement.

The peas and corn processed at the new facility will come from nearby growers.

The new plant replaces a 92-year-old facility in Waseca and will provide about 20% more capacity for processing vegetables. On an annual basis, the facility can process 120 million pounds of cut and cob corn, 45 million pounds of peas, and more than 20 million pounds of rice.

Conagra anticipates the new facility uses about 25% less water per pound of product produced than the company's previous facility.

The company hosted a ribbon-cutting event Wednesday morning at the plant, which is at 2351 Brown Ave.

In fiscal year 2021, Conagra's Birds Eye brand generated more than $1.5 billion in retail sales.