Heartland Produce Co. bought 31 acres of the former Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha for a new facility with an estimated 180 employees.

The Kenosha produce distributor becomes the first to commit to the new business park that is part of the redevelopment of the Dairyland property. The Forest County Potawatomi Community and Milwaukee developer Zilber Property Group are leading that project.

The redevelopment near Interstate 94 also includes 432 apartments and commercial and office buildings. Ryan Dietz, co-owner and vice president of operations for Heartland Produce, said those neighboring uses and the property’s walking trails were selling points.

“There is an attractiveness to that and to be a part of something that is not just another industrial park,” Dietz said. “There’s going to be amenities that employees are going to be able to take advantage of.”

Heartland Produce is currently located a few miles away on 70th Street and has outgrown its current building, Dietz said. The company works with food and vegetable growers and shipping companies, storing the produce in its warehouses until ripe and then distributing to grocery stores and wholesalers. Its produce can be found on store shelves with the Organic Indeed and Fresh Indeed labels.

“It’s an expanding customer base, expanding product lines, there are opportunities with customers who are adding new stores and future opportunities in terms of partnering with new retailers and new distributors,” Dietz said of Heartland’s growth.

Heartland Produce plans to move into its new building in spring 2022, Dietz said. The company has about 150 employees now but could grow to about 180 once it’s in the new building, he said.

The company bought 31 acres for its new building for $5.19 million, according to state records.

Read more at the Milwaukee Business Journal.