By Trish Svoboda/Image courtesy of Golden Waves Grain
Golden Waves Grain is taking the next major steps toward constructing its new mill and bakery in Northwest Kansas after the Foote Family made a significant investment in the company. Brian Linin, Sr. Vice President and CFO, said the investment is a key aspect of moving forward, with the funds going towards the engineering work needed to establish a guaranteed maximum price for the facility, as well as operational expenses, including test baking at a commercial bakery in Texas.
“This commercial bakery that we’re using for the test baking has the same equipment that we’re going to put into our bakery. So, it kind of gives us the ability to run a controlled test on what the equipment that we’re going to buy will actually produce. So we’re pretty excited about that,” said Linen.
Once the mill and bakery is operational, Linin said it is expected to create approximately 144 jobs, ranging from executive and administrative positions to line and warehouse workers, with average wages budgeted in the $50,000 range. Linin described shifts as similar to a nursing-type schedule where staff will operate in rotating 12-hour shifts, six days a week. Day crews and night crews will work three days or nights, and have four days off, providing flexibility. “We feel like this is a really nice alternative for people where they can make a nice wage and a good living, and they can work three days a week, and then they can carry another job or take time off.”
Local economic benefits are expected to extend beyond employment. “You’re talking about pumping a lot of dollars in the local economy and surrounding economies because everybody won’t just come from here. It’s not just a Northwest Kansas or a Sherman County or a Goodland project. It really is a tri-state area impact. Having the Foote Family and their investment in this project is a key part of that because they’re also a tri-state area company. They’re involved with food production and they understand agriculture. It fits with our mission and the whole thing just fits together so nicely.”
Linin credits the project’s progress to collaboration among experienced professionals, including industry experts with decades of grocery and food production experience. “One of the guys on our board is a fellow by the name of John McCormick, and he’s been in the grocery business for over 50 years. He’s the president currently of the Retail Growers Association in Missouri and Kansas City, and now he helps other folks be successful doing that. He’s the most excited about the project because of what it will do for putting bread on the shelves.”
Linin said no matter who he talks to about the project, it’s always positive from their perspective. “It’s exciting to be part of something that has so much potential to change things.”
While there isn’t a timeline set for construction, Linin said as of now they’re thinking they might be able to break ground by the summer or next fall. “We’ve thrown out timelines in the past that kind of proved to not be correct. But that’s kind of the nature of a startup.”
For more information or to keep up to date on the project visit Golden Waves Grain’s website.
