A new dairy processing plant is being built in Idaho. Suntado recently broke ground on what is says will be a state-of-the-art shelf stable milk and alternative beverage facility located in Burley.
Owners of Suntado LLC, Dirk Reitsma and Jesus Hurtado, are both Magic Valley dairymen, according to Times-News.
“This project has been a dream for dairy farmers Jesus Hurtado and Dirk Reitsma for a long time and it’s exciting to their innovative approach come to life in the state that they love so much,” said Suntado CEO Jeff Williams in a press release. “Their commitment to detail, enthusiasm for big thinking, and their loyalty to the diary community gives integrity to the capability of the Suntado name. That they saw an area to grow dairy consumption and stepped up to answer the call speaks volumes to the owners’ dedication to the future of this industry.”
The facility is set to open in the Spring of 2024. When complete, the facility will process up to 1 million lbs. of local milk per day. The products include ultra-pasteurized shelf-stable milk requiring no refrigeration and are good for up to a year, regular pasteurized products that stay fresh in the refrigerator for two to three weeks, and a product that falls in between the two, which has to be refrigerated but stays fresh for up to 120 days.
“This facility represents a new, pioneering mindset in which dairy products are designed to be a destination, not just a commodity,” Dairy West CEO Karianne Fallow said in the release. “It’s exciting to see new product offerings and vertical integration in the same project. Dairy West has partnered with Suntado in helping the company get to market with products that need the demands of our changing consumer landscape. This is good for dairy farmers, good for the dairy community, and certainly good for customer choice.”
Idaho is the third largest dairy producing state in the U.S. with 376 dairies, nearly 700,000 cows and 19 dairy processing facilities.
