Tokyo-based Kikkoman Corp. is bolstering its presence in the state of Wisconsin with plans to build a new, $560 million production facility in the city of Jefferson.
In January, Kikkoman first announced plans to invest $560 million in a third U.S. facility. At the time the company said the facility would be built in Wisconsin, but it did not specify an exact location. That investment will be made over a period of 10 years.
State records show Kikkoman Foods, a subsidiary of Kikkoman Corp., recently purchased a 100-acre parcel of land at the end of Industrial Avenue in Jefferson for $3 million. The site is located on the south end of Jefferson, northeast of state Highway 26 and Business Highway 26. Industrial Avenue is the same road where Milwaukee-based Palermo’s acquired a former Tyson Foods plant last year and converted it into a frozen pizza factory.
The Kikkoman facility in Jefferson will be used for production of soy sauce and soy sauce-related seasonings, with shipments anticipated to start in fall 2026.
“In addition to meeting the increasing demand for soy sauce in the North American market, with this new construction we are aiming for a sustainable next-generation production plant that combines flexibility with production efficiency and scalability for multi-production of a variety of products to meet customer needs,” according to the January announcement. “This will enable us to establish a supply chain with increased stability in North America, our Group’s largest overseas market.”
Kikkoman’s Walworth plant, which opened in 1972, is the highest-producing soy sauce facility in the world. The company also has a production facility in Folsom, California.
