Photo courtesy of Kraft Heinz Kraft Heinz will celebrate 70 years in New Ulm September 20. The plant produces sliced cheese, Cheez Whiz and Velveeta. The New Ulm plant was at one point, the largest processed cheese facility in North America.

NEW ULM — Kraft Heinz Company, the third-largest food and beverage company in North America and the fifth-largest such company in the world, will celebrate 70 years in New Ulm September 20.

The plant on South Bridge Street employs 400 people and produces all of Kraft Heinz’s signature gooey cheese products plus sliced cheese found in Lunchables, in addition to Kraft’s Deli Deluxe cheese slices, Cheez Whiz and Velveeta cheese.

:As we approach the 70th anniversary of our New Ulm facility later this year, we look forward to celebrating our history and achievements, while continuing our commitment to continuous improvement,” said a Kraft spokesperson.

“We’re investing in our overall plant infrastructure from digitizing our production floor operations to refreshing employee meeting and break rooms and more. These improvements provide excellent opportunities for employee skill development and support our commitment to operational excellence,” he said.

The Kraft spokesperson said Kraft’s commitment to sustainability is reflected in a zero waste-to-landfill program, which diverts over 1.75 million pounds of waste into energy each year.

Photo courtesy of Kraft Heinz Kraft Heinz, 2525 S. Bridge St., continues to produce Kraft Deli Deluxe cheese slices and Velveeta cheese products. With about 400 workers, the plant continues to improve with digital production operations.

Since the program’s inception in 2010, it has successfully repurposed 12,495.7 tons of waste, contributing to a more sustainable future while supporting our operations.

“In New Ulm, we’re proud to produce Kraft’s Deli Deluxe and Velveeta cheese products – for which New Ulm is the sole U.S. producer – among many others. Our team crafts over 305 million pounds of our products annually, and our production schedule varies throughout the year due to product seasonality to ensure we deliver what customers need, when they need it.”

The New Ulm facility employs approximately 400 hourly and salaried workers, who have an average tenure of 11.5 years here.

“We are committed to fostering the growth and development of our people, with over 77% of our current plant leadership team having started their careers at Kraft Heinz as production team members. We are proud to have their extensive knowledge and expertise driving our leadership roles,” said the Kraft spokesperson.

“We believe in championing great people who bring ambition, curiosity, and high performance to the table as the guardians of our beloved and nostalgic brands,” he said.

Kraft Heinz shifted retail Velveeta production out of New Ulm a decade ago but brought it back with a $100 million investment in 2017. The plant first opened in 1955 and was, at one point, the largest processed cheese facility in North America.

Kraft Heinz just got a federal grant for environmental upgrades that will allow the New Ulm plant to reduce annual emissions by more than 99%, the company said.