Columbia council to consider selling 100 acres for new manufacturing plant

A new food manufacturing company is considering putting down roots in Columbia in the near future.

“It’s a significant project for Columbia’s economy,” said Columbia mayor Brian Treece. “It includes $90 million of investment and initially 100 jobs.”

Treece said additional jobs could be procured.

For now, the company is keeping its identity a secret but ABC17 News learned the name of the company could be revealed Thursday when the city council agenda is released. Throughout this article, it will be referred to as Project Cadre.

“They’re good environmental stewards, they are sustainable and they’ve got a good record of civic responsibility,” said Treece. “That’s exactly the type of company we want to recruit.”

The company will serve states outside of Missouri.

On the agenda there will be a bill proposal to sell the 100 acre Sutter land off Waco Road and Route B. Former city manager Bill Watkins negotiated the purchase of the land several years ago.

“This is really what the land was intended for,” said Treece. “It was developed out, it was stubbed out with utilities to become an environmental development project.”

While its not a done deal, Treece said he hopes selling the land to the company would show the city and county are both serious about Project Cadre and that Columbia is a good place to do business.

REDI vice president Bernie Andrews has been working with the company for months and said Wednesday this is a small step in the grand scheme of the plan. He said there is still a long way to go.

Treece hinted Wednesday that Project Cadre would be another Chapter 100 project. This would be the third in the past two years. Dana Light Axle Products and Kraft Heinz are the other two projects benefiting from a property tax abatement.

“This would be the largest Chapter 100 application we have seen in Boone County,” said Treece.

Columbia leaders said they hope Project Cadre can be successful and lay the foundation for other companies to move their operations to Missouri.