Walmart on Wednesday confirmed the opening of a milk processing and bottling facility in Robinson, Texas, representing a capital outlay of more than $350 million. The plant - the retailer's third U.S. milk processing unit - will bottle milk in a range of sizes and types for its private-label lines, Great Value and Sam's Club Member's Mark, the company said.
The new Robinson operation is expected to create in excess of 400 new jobs. Walmart said the facility will supply milk to more than 650 Walmart stores and Sam's Clubs across the South Central United States. The company has roughly 5,200 stores and clubs nationwide.
This investment is positioned as part of a longer-term effort to fortify the grocery perishables supply chain. In announcing the Robinson plant, Walmart pointed to a decade of work to improve control over fresh goods logistics and production.
Walmart's milk-processing program began with an initial announcement in early 2016. The company's first milk processing facility, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, began operating in 2018. The second milk plant started operations in Valdosta, Georgia, in December of last year. These three sites now make up the retailer's domestic milk bottling footprint.
Beyond milk, Walmart operates two case-ready beef facilities located in Georgia and Kansas. The company also reported that, as of fiscal 2025, more than two-thirds of its total U.S. product spend was on items that are made, grown or assembled on-shore.
Walmart has continued to invest in logistics infrastructure to support temperature-sensitive products. In 2024 the company announced plans to build five automated warehouses designed to handle items such as milk, meat, vegetables and fruit, with the goal of accelerating grocery delivery times.
The retailer's e-commerce and delivery metrics show changing customer behavior. Shoppers using delivery in under three hours increased by more than 60 percent during Walmart's fiscal 2026, and the contribution of e-commerce to U.S. sales almost doubled in the company’s most recently reported quarter, according to the company.
The adding of the Robinson plant follows a period when Walmart made substantial investments in labor and e-commerce capabilities. Those investments were described as applying pressure to margins at the time the milk processing program was first announced.
Context and operational notes
- The Robinson facility will produce milk for Walmart's private label brands across a variety of package sizes and milk types.
- The plant will serve a network of more than 650 Walmart stores and Sam's Clubs in the South Central United States.
- The investment is one element of Walmart's broader on-shore sourcing and perishables logistics effort, which includes other processing and automated warehouse projects.