Kansas Town Lands 140 Jobs with New Baking Facility

A small Kansas town is getting a major economic boost that will create jobs and make everyday groceries more affordable for local families.

Golden Waves Grain announced plans to build a combined grain milling and commercial bakery facility in Goodland, Kansas, creating approximately 140 new jobs for the community. The facility will process locally grown wheat into baked goods all under one roof.

CEO Tony Adams says Goodland was the ideal location because of one key resource: hard red winter wheat. "Our primary wheat that's grown in that region is hard red winter wheat, and that's gonna be our primary wheat. It's unique in that it is the best hard red winter wheat grown in the entire world," Adams explained.

The numbers tell an impressive story about local abundance. The facility will need about 2 million bushels of wheat annually, while the Goodland area produces around 65 million bushels. That means local farmers have more than enough supply to support the new operation.

Adams says the project could even encourage farmers to experiment with different wheat varieties that complement what they're already growing. Some of the farmers are investors in the project, making it a true community partnership.

The Ripple Effect

The benefits extend beyond paychecks. By bringing milling and baking operations together in one location, the company expects to cut 35% of the cost from the current bread production system. That means Goodland residents will be able to buy higher quality bread for less money than they pay now.

The facility is currently in early design stages. Equipment will come from Kansas companies too: milling equipment from Kice Industries in Park City and baking equipment from Coperion in Sabetha, spreading the economic benefits across the state.

For a small town, 140 new jobs represents significant growth that will support local businesses, schools, and services for years to come. The project shows how recognizing a region's natural strengths can create opportunities that benefit everyone from farmers to families buying groceries.