The Campbell’s Company has made a significant investment in its Goldfish cracker production. The company expanded its plant in Richmond, Utah, with a $160 million project aimed at boosting production capabilities. This move came in response to increased consumer demand for the popular snack.
The expansion included commissioning a new production line, quadrupling the plant’s footprint from 100,000 sq. ft. to 400,000 sq. ft., and remodeling 75,000 sq. ft. of existing space. With these upgrades, Campbell’s aims to enhance efficiency and output. The new line allows 5 million Goldfish to be produced per hour.
“From a geographic perspective, it made sense to expand production out here. Prior to the expansion, we were getting support from Willard and Denver sending products out west because we couldn’t produce everything needed.”
Tony Hernandez, Director of Site Operations
This project is part of Campbell’s broader strategy to strengthen its snacking portfolio, which has seen substantial growth. Goldfish, long a staple in the American snack market, continues to enjoy rising popularity, particularly among children and families.
Campbells’ focus on innovation and modernization is evident in this project. The addition of cutting-edge technology aims to optimize the production process while maintaining high quality and safety standards. This ensures that the iconic taste and texture of Goldfish remain consistent, even as production scales up.
Utah Flour Milling was formed by PHM Brands’ Panhandle Milling and NIPPN Corporation which now owns and operates a mill in Richmond and supplies Campbell’s with 50% of its daily 750,000-lb. output. The flour goes from the mill directly into Campbell’s Richmond facility.
Sustainability is also a priority for the company. By adding the on-site flour mill, 2,236 truckloads and 1,472 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per year have been eliminated.
“It’s a state-of-the-art milling operation, so the quality and the consistency are best-in-class. We’ve noticed a difference in the yields, in the flour and how it runs in our process for the better.”
Tony Hernandez, Director of Site Operations
Campbell’s is also taking advantage of the abundance of wheat production in the area by expanding in Utah. Utah produced 4.41 million bushels and Idaho produced 62.3 million bushels of winter wheat in 2024.
“A lot of the wheat in America is around the Palouse area, which is in Northern Idaho, and then along with the Utah Valley, so taking advantage of the local wheat production and connecting that with the flour mill building was really attractive.”
Jason Roethig, Senior Director of Engineering Services and Project Execution
The Richmond expansion served as a proving ground for a safety and project checklist that Campbell’s will roll out to new projects that require operational readiness.
“This new, cross-functional operational readiness process helped us achieve a vertical startup to ensure optimal internal and external process operations. This enabled proper startup procedures, training, maintenance and vendor interactions with new operators and a world-class safety program. In addition, post-mortem lessons learned kept us more effective for improving in the future.”
Jason Roethig, Senior Director of Engineering Services and Project Execution
The project reflects broader trends in the food manufacturing industry, where companies are increasingly investing in infrastructure to meet changing consumer preferences and demands. As more consumers seek convenient and tasty snack options, companies like Campbell’s are adapting their operations to align with these shifts.
Campbell’s is optimistic about the expansion’s future impact. The upgrade promises to bolster the company’s market position and address the growing appetite for its products. As Campbell’s continues to innovate and expand, its investment in the Richmond facility highlights its dedication to delivering quality snacks to consumers across the nation.
Source: Going for Gold(fish): Inside The Campbell’s Company’s $160M Cracker Plant Expansion
Photo Credit: The Campbell’s Company
