General Mills breaks ground on new Belvidere distribution plant

Nov 25, 2023

BELVIDERE — General Mills officials and state and local dignitary slung some dirt Thursday, but not at each other.

It was all smiles during a ceremonial groundbreaking for a massive warehouse and distribution center at 1210 Irene Road, a project nearly two years in the making.

"This new 1.3 million-square-foot facility will be a state-of-the-art distribution center handing product from all over the country as it comes into our Midwest network," said Tom Hogan, General Mills' director of global real estate and facilities.

General Mills has had a 20-year presence in Belvidere, and the center will allow the company to increase its distribution capacity to customers throughout the Midwest.

Hogan said, "I think our investment in this along with Scannell is really well over $100 million."

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The 160-acre site is being developed by Scannell Properties, which owns the land and is leasing 110 acres to General Mills for the development.

Hogan said the center will employ between 55 to 75 full-time employees.

Boone County Board Chairman Karl Johnson said the area is prime for this type of development because of its infrastructure.

"This is an important day for Boone County, Belvidere and the whole region. The interstate system goes through the whole Midwest... .We can become a hub for the Midwest for distribution facilities like this and other types of manufacturing."

The distribution center is one of the largest development projects in Belvidere history, according to Belvidere Mayor Clint Morris.

Morris thanked numerous individuals for helping the city "successfully compete and win in attracting economic development to our city and to our region."

State Rep. Dave Vella, who secured $700,000 in state funds for the reconfiguration of Irene Road as well as water and sewer improvements, said, "It's a good feeling to know that in the not too distant future, good jobs will be here."

He also expects the site to be a long-term growth area.

"Because we do have I-90 that's very close. We do have train tracks and we do have the Rockford airport. All that will fuel the growth."

General Mills currently operates a specialty foods manufacturing plant at 915 E. Pleasant St. in Belvidere, where it produces cereals and food for the company's Nature Valley and Fiber One brands.

The Minneapolis-based food giant's portfolio of brand names also includes Cheerios, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Blue Buffalo and Haagen-Dazs.

Hogan anticipates the center opening in the fall of 2023.

Chris Green: 815-987-1241; [email protected]; @chrisfgreen