Novonesis celebrates major expansion of West Allis production facility, strengthening North American dairy innovation and manufacturing

WEST ALLIS, Wis., Sept. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novonesis, a global leader in biosolutions, announced the completion of a major expansion at its West Allis, Wisconsin production facility. The investment increases the company’s North American production capacity for dairy cultures, boosting fermentation capacity by approximately 66% and packaging capacity by 17%, while establishing West Allis as one of the world's largest lactobacillus production facilities. The additional capacity will allow Novonesis to help customers keep pace with booming consumer demand for more nutritious foods without compromising taste, texture or quality, while reinforcing Wisconsin’s role as a leader in dairy manufacturing and innovation. 

"For nearly a century, West Allis has played an important role in helping advance dairy innovation," said Theis Bacher, Senior Vice President, Food & Beverage, Novonesis North America. "Today, it serves as our North American center of excellence for food cultures. This expansion builds on that legacy, strengthening our ability to continue delivering the biosolutions our customers rely on while investing in the people, manufacturing capabilities and technology that will help shape the future of dairy. By enabling dairy manufacturers to produce nutritious, high-quality foods more efficiently and sustainably, we're helping advance healthier living through biology." 

“This investment is also a commitment to the West Allis community, reinforcing our dedication to providing high-quality, high-performing cultures to customers in Wisconsin and around the world,” said Anders Lund, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Novonesis. “As ‘America’s Dairyland,’ Wisconsin takes great pride in its dairy heritage, and we are proud to be a leader in culture ingredients that support dairies and food manufacturers from farm to fork.” 

While the current expansion adds new jobs and significant production capacity, the site layout allows for additional growth over time by leveraging existing infrastructure along with automation and robotics. The project also incorporates energy-efficient equipment, water reuse, and waste heat recovery to reduce the environmental footprint of operations. Together, these enhancements expand Novonesis’ ability to produce the biosolutions food manufacturers rely on every day, helping customers improve how food is produced while supporting a more efficient, resilient bioeconomy. 

From the cultures used to make cheese and yogurt to innovations that help manufacturers improve product quality, reduce waste and operate more efficiently, Novonesis’ biosolutions help make nutritious dairy foods more accessible while supporting a more sustainable food system and advancing healthier lives on a healthier planet. 

“Wisconsin’s dairy leadership has always been built on the combination of tradition and innovation,” said John Umhoefer, executive director of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association. “Investments in advanced dairy manufacturing capabilities help strengthen the infrastructure our cheesemakers rely on, support skilled jobs and reinforce Wisconsin’s ability to remain at the forefront of dairy production. Novonesis’ continued investment in West Allis is another example of the innovation happening across our state’s dairy industry.” 

The West Allis site opened in 1929 and has long been part of Wisconsin's dairy industry. Today, the facility employs 360 people and supplies cultures to dairy manufacturers across North America. The completion of the expansion marks another milestone in the site's nearly century-long history of supporting dairy innovation and manufacturing.  

Novonesis celebrated the completion of the expansion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by customers, employees, community leaders and industry partners.  Guests toured the expanded production facility and customer experience center, highlighting the technologies and capabilities that will support the next generation of dairy manufacturing. 

About Novonesis 

Novonesis is a global biosolutions company leading the era of biosolutions. By leveraging the power of microbiology with science, Novonesis transforms the way the world produces, consumes, and lives. Across more than 30 industries, Novonesis biosolutions are already creating value for thousands of customers while benefiting the planet. With more than 11,000 employees worldwide, Novonesis partners with businesses and communities to better our world with biology.