DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — Tillamook Ice Cream is officially in production at its brand-new manufacturing facility in Decatur.
Tillamook expects the Decatur plant to produce 15.5 million gallons of ice cream.
The Decatur facility marks the company’s first owned-and-operated plant outside of its home state of Oregon.
At full capacity, the Decatur plant is expected to produce 15.5 million gallons of ice cream annually.
The Decatur plant’s opening comes as demand for Tillamook products continues to climb across the country. Since 2021, 4.4 million people have purchased Tillamook Ice Cream, including more than one million new customers in 2024 alone. Much of that growth is coming from the Eastern U.S., where more than 600,000 new consumers tried the brand last year.
“The Decatur plant is well equipped to serve our valued customers with increased production capacity, while driving supply chain efficiency from the plant to a growing footprint of national and regional retail outlets,” Mike Bever, executive vice president and chief supply chain officer said.
The new facility has already created 50 new jobs in the Decatur area, with plans to expand as production scales up. The site also plays a role in Decatur’s neighborhood revitalization efforts, transforming a previously vacant manufacturing space into an economic driver for the region.
Along with job creation, Tillamook has made several early philanthropic commitments to support the Decatur community. Recent donations totaling $50,000, including contributions from TCCA and general contractor JP Cullen, will support a variety of local organizations:
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$20,000 to the Decatur Park District to sponsor youth recreation programs and events like the Ice Cream Safari at Scovill Zoo.
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$20,000 to the Good Samaritan Inn to help expand its urban food garden from one to five acres.
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$5,000 to the Northeast Community Fund to support food security efforts and its upcoming Farm to Fund event.
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$5,000 to the Macon County Fair to support livestock and open class shows.
In addition to its popular ice cream, Tillamook is also the fastest-growing cheese and cream cheese brand in the country. In 2024, one in four American households purchased Tillamook products.
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