Lopez Foods is marking a major milestone in Cherokee — and it comes with new jobs, new capacity and a renewed commitment to the community.
The company celebrated the completion of a $45 million expansion late last week, unveiling a new fully-cooked sausage production line at its facility on South Lake Street. The project adds nearly 24,000 square feet of new space and upgrades another 29,000 square feet inside the plant, expanding cooler, freezer, dry storage and shipping areas. Company officials say the investment will significantly increase output and position the Cherokee facility for long‑term growth.
The expansion has been underway since late 2024 and reflects Lopez Foods’ broader strategy to diversify production across its national network. The Cherokee plant currently produces canadian‑style bacon and other fully-cooked items, and the new line is expected to add 75-100 jobs as operations ramp up. Lopez Foods leaders say the added capacity will help meet growing demand for fully-cooked beef, pork and poultry products — a category the company has supplied to major restaurant chains and retailers for decades.
The Cherokee facility has a long history. Built in the mid‑1960s by Wilson Foods, it later operated under IBP and Tyson before closing in 2014, eliminating roughly 450 jobs. A short‑lived attempt to restart operations under Iowa Food Group ended in 2019. Lopez Foods purchased the plant later that year, restarted production in 2020 and has steadily rebuilt its workforce. Today, the Oklahoma-based company is the nation’s largest Hispanic‑owned protein processor and maintains long‑standing partnerships with McDonald’s and other major brands.
Local officials say the latest expansion is one of the most significant industrial investments in Cherokee County in years, strengthening the region’s manufacturing base and offering new opportunities for residents who want to work close to home. Economic development leaders also note that the added capacity — roughly 32 million pounds of products annually, according to earlier project estimates — positions the plant for future growth.
The new sausage production line is expected to be fully operational within the next few weeks.
