Kellogg Omaha Plant - CLOSED

[Stan]

While this industrial park is important to Omaha, it hasn’t aged particularly well and is a bit of an eyesore I’ve always thought.

It stretches for a good distance along I-80. And for people driving through Omaha especially those who have never been to Omaha before this is one of the main impressions they get of the city.
That’s something to consider when the time comes to redevelop the former Kellogg property.

New Disney park to compete with Disney Land and Disney World - Disney Farm. ...wait, that's practically Vala's. Nevermind.

[Garrett]

While this industrial park is important to Omaha, it hasn’t aged particularly well and is a bit of an eyesore I’ve always thought.

It stretches for a good distance along I-80. And for people driving through Omaha especially those who have never been to Omaha before this is one of the main impressions they get of the city.
That’s something to consider when the time comes to redevelop the former Kellogg property.

New Disney park to compete with Disney Land and Disney World - Disney Farm. ...wait, that's practically Vala's. Nevermind.

Someone get Rod Yates on this

[OverlookedFarm]

While this industrial park is important to Omaha, it hasn’t aged particularly well and is a bit of an eyesore I’ve always thought.

It stretches for a good distance along I-80. And for people driving through Omaha especially those who have never been to Omaha before this is one of the main impressions they get of the city.
That’s something to consider when the time comes to redevelop the former Kellogg property.

I worked off 102nd and F for years. Been through every one of those buildings from one time or another.

I would love to find all the information, but the industrial park from basically 42nd all the way to 156th was set up by a organization call the "Omaha Industrial Foundation"

Many rail served buildings in the area. However in between 108th and 60th, there are only International Paper, Harvey, Prince, a pallet maker Omaha Track and Quality Pork.

It is a tragic misuse of prime (rents are suprsingly high there) real estate and really handicaps Omahas growth, and increases sprawl. Sadly, many of the properties in the industrial park have ZERO value creating enterprises. They are used car dealers, churches, food banks, jobbers/retailers,, etc.

Nothing will fix it because any prospective industrial client can get that sweet sweet TIF money and get a shovel ready solution out in Gretna or Papillion.

[Bob from Omaha]

While this industrial park is important to Omaha, it hasn’t aged particularly well and is a bit of an eyesore I’ve always thought.

It stretches for a good distance along I-80. And for people driving through Omaha especially those who have never been to Omaha before this is one of the main impressions they get of the city.
That’s something to consider when the time comes to redevelop the former Kellogg property.

I worked off 102nd and F for years. Been through every one of those buildings from one time or another.

I would love to find all the information, but the industrial park from basically 42nd all the way to 156th was set up by a organization call the "Omaha Industrial Foundation"

Many rail served buildings in the area. However in between 108th and 60th, there are only International Paper, Harvey, Prince, a pallet maker Omaha Track and Quality Pork.

It is a tragic misuse of prime (rents are suprsingly high there) real estate and really handicaps Omahas growth, and increases sprawl. Sadly, many of the properties in the industrial park have ZERO value creating enterprises. They are used car dealers, churches, food banks, jobbers/retailers,, etc.

Nothing will fix it because any prospective industrial client can get that sweet sweet TIF money and get a shovel ready solution out in Gretna or Papillion.

The Omaha Industrial Foundation was a non profit set up to promote industrial development. It was responsible for Western Electric coming to Omaha with thousands of well paying jobs. Same with Kellogg's. You may think it is/was ugly but tens of thousands of good paying jobs went there. As for the look for newcomers coming into Omaha you think they look at that area and give it a second thought? They may be wondering where the mountains, lakes, oceans, etc. are but I'd bet they don't think anything. The OIF, in its day, did exactly what it was intended to do. Create jobs.

This area did and probably still does host a ton of companies. They may not all be sexy but when the OIF was in its heyday this was well worth the effort. Many of those companies manufactured products that were state of the art. Again. Jobs.

[EastCB2]

While this industrial park is important to Omaha, it hasn’t aged particularly well and is a bit of an eyesore I’ve always thought.

It stretches for a good distance along I-80. And for people driving through Omaha especially those who have never been to Omaha before this is one of the main impressions they get of the city.
That’s something to consider when the time comes to redevelop the former Kellogg property.

I worked off 102nd and F for years. Been through every one of those buildings from one time or another.

I would love to find all the information, but the industrial park from basically 42nd all the way to 156th was set up by a organization call the "Omaha Industrial Foundation"

Many rail served buildings in the area. However in between 108th and 60th, there are only International Paper, Harvey, Prince, a pallet maker Omaha Track and Quality Pork.

It is a tragic misuse of prime (rents are suprsingly high there) real estate and really handicaps Omahas growth, and increases sprawl. Sadly, many of the properties in the industrial park have ZERO value creating enterprises. They are used car dealers, churches, food banks, jobbers/retailers,, etc.

Nothing will fix it because any prospective industrial client can get that sweet sweet TIF money and get a shovel ready solution out in Gretna or Papillion.

The Omaha Industrial Foundation was a non profit set up to promote industrial development. It was responsible for Western Electric coming to Omaha with thousands of well paying jobs. Same with Kellogg's. You may think it is/was ugly but tens of thousands of good paying jobs went there. As for the look for newcomers coming into Omaha you think they look at that area and give it a second thought? They may be wondering where the mountains, lakes, oceans, etc. are but I'd bet they don't think anything. The OIF, in its day, did exactly what it was intended to do. Create jobs.

This area did and probably still does host a ton of companies. They may not all be sexy but when the OIF was in its heyday this was well worth the effort. Many of those companies manufactured products that were state of the art. Again. Jobs.

This reminds me of when a friend from Mass. came to visit me a few years ago. We were driving on I80 in CB going west. As we passed the railroad tracks, grain elevators, etc by the south expressway i said to her , not the best view. She replied all i see is jobs!

[Garrett]

The area could use some cleanup and modernization for new types of industries, but it should absolutely remain industrial. Of all the things to have on an interstate/rail corridor combo like this, industrial use is number one.

[Cermak]

Be interesting to see what happens to the Kellogg facility. If it’s torn down that will be a huge project. They may subdivide it up like the old AT&T plant.

[nebugeater]

So Kellogg's has been bought by Ferrero, an Italian Company, about 3 Billion.

Wonder what impact it will have on US manufacturing facilities. And long-term union contracts

https://www.wsj.com/business/deals/ferr ... 08fQ%3D%3D

[djc311]

So Kellogg's has been bought by Ferrero, an Italian Company, about 3 Billion.

Wonder what impact it will have on US manufacturing facilities. And long-term union contracts

https://www.wsj.com/business/deals/ferr ... 08fQ%3D%3D

I imagine this plant will still close, hopefully not any sooner. I can always tell when they're making something with chocolate as I work nearby. I assume it's Cocoa Krispies... do they also make Pop Tarts in Omaha?

Regardless, I was just talking to a coworker about how sad it is we continue to lose factories. My dad worked for Vickers on 72nd & Crown Pointe back several years ago... it's been closed for decades.

[almighty_tuna]

I can always tell when they're making something with chocolate as I work nearby.

I used to live south of the plant and always enjoyed the wafting aroma of cookies. Couldn't imagine if Ferrero retrofitted the plant to produce Nutella!

[djc311]

I can always tell when they're making something with chocolate as I work nearby.

I used to live south of the plant and always enjoyed the wafting aroma of cookies. Couldn't imagine if Ferrero retrofitted the plant to produce Nutella!

LOL - that's what everyone at work says, too... smells like cookies! Do they actually make some type of cookie? I figured it had to be cereal or Pop Tarts. Unfortunately, it appears sometime next year it will no longer happen.

[Stan]

Ferrero has an interesting set of companies that it owns. I wouldn't be mad if they started manufacturing Kinder chocolates here.

https://www.ferrero.com/int/en/our-brands/all-brands

[Busguy2010]

I can always tell when they're making something with chocolate as I work nearby.

I used to live south of the plant and always enjoyed the wafting aroma of cookies. Couldn't imagine if Ferrero retrofitted the plant to produce Nutella!

LOL - that's what everyone at work says, too... smells like cookies! Do they actually make some type of cookie? I figured it had to be cereal or Pop Tarts. Unfortunately, it appears sometime next year it will no longer happen.

I hope this acquisition changes the fate of operations there.

Ive always been endeared to smell what they're cooking up, whether I'm in the immediate area, or depending on the wind, in a surprisingly far away spot. I regularly smell cereal in the air around 50th & Grover, and believe it or not I've even smelled it at home in Benson, some 8 miles away. Just like every now and then I can hear trains even though I live nowhere near any tracks. That almost always only happens of a cool, quiet, foggy day. Kinda intriguing how both those dynamics work.

Anyway, its always fun to guess what they're making. Ive narrowed them down to rice krispies, cocoa krispies, Froot Loops, frosted flakes, or special K. Can't say I've identified any others.

[bbinks]

I can always tell when they're making something with chocolate as I work nearby.

I used to live south of the plant and always enjoyed the wafting aroma of cookies. Couldn't imagine if Ferrero retrofitted the plant to produce Nutella!

LOL - that's what everyone at work says, too... smells like cookies! Do they actually make some type of cookie? I figured it had to be cereal or Pop Tarts. Unfortunately, it appears sometime next year it will no longer happen.

I hope this acquisition changes the fate of operations there.

Ive always been endeared to smell what they're cooking up, whether I'm in the immediate area, or depending on the wind, in a surprisingly far away spot. I regularly smell cereal in the air around 50th & Grover, and believe it or not I've even smelled it at home in Benson, some 8 miles away. Just like every now and then I can hear trains even though I live nowhere near any tracks. That almost always only happens of a cool, quiet, foggy day. Kinda intriguing how both those dynamics work.

Anyway, its always fun to guess what they're making. Ive narrowed them down to rice krispies, cocoa krispies, Froot Loops, frosted flakes, or special K. Can't say I've identified any others.

Your 50th & Grover experience is probably the Skinner Bakery off 46th & G.

[nebugeater]

I can always tell when they're making something with chocolate as I work nearby.

I used to live south of the plant and always enjoyed the wafting aroma of cookies. Couldn't imagine if Ferrero retrofitted the plant to produce Nutella!

LOL - that's what everyone at work says, too... smells like cookies! Do they actually make some type of cookie? I figured it had to be cereal or Pop Tarts. Unfortunately, it appears sometime next year it will no longer happen.

I hope this acquisition changes the fate of operations there.

Ive always been endeared to smell what they're cooking up, whether I'm in the immediate area, or depending on the wind, in a surprisingly far away spot. I regularly smell cereal in the air around 50th & Grover, and believe it or not I've even smelled it at home in Benson, some 8 miles away. Just like every now and then I can hear trains even though I live nowhere near any tracks. That almost always only happens of a cool, quiet, foggy day. Kinda intriguing how both those dynamics work.

Anyway, its always fun to guess what they're making. Ive narrowed them down to rice krispies, cocoa krispies, Froot Loops, frosted flakes, or special K. Can't say I've identified any others.

I remember at least a couple of times through the years when I was driving I80 around 5 AM and would smell burning grain. new someone that worked there and a couple of times we would talk and in fact thay had had a fire in an oven. Toasted cereal smells great. Burning cereal not so much

[Cermak]

Omaha Kellogg plant now officially closed. Be interesting to see what happens to the place. Kelloggs said the plant was just too old.

[djc311]

I work somewhat close to the facility - it's a lot of property to convert into anything. I imagine it will be broken up into multiple parcels.

I knew some people that worked at the plant in the past - made great money especially on crazy OT rates. Not sure if that drove the closure, but it's a very sad situation. I liked walking outside and on occasion you could tell when they were making chocolate cereals (assume cocoa krispies). Smelled amazing.

[OverlookedFarm]

i used to work nearby too. one day it was cholcolatey goodness blowing in, or the rotting rendering trailers from Quality Pork. btw, i heard they closed too.

this means all the rail served customers. on that spur have closed.

i believe the closure was a combination of things. old plant, needed rebuilt. heavy union presence. decline in breffast cereal demand.

union didnt do themselves any favors or read any tea leaves of the position they were negotiating from. osborn zero sum gamed himself out of a job.

ill never forget the union toadies trying to play frogger on F st during the '21 strike. it was as if they were trying to collect another kind of check.

[Brad]

this means all the rail served customers. on that spur have closed.

I believe 9828 J Street is still getting an occasional tank car.

I really hope a large user that ships by rail, buys Kellogg's plant and redevelops it. I know its a pipe dream, but we really don't have a lot of large parcels of land left in Omaha that has access to rail. You chop this parcel up in to little pieces you will never get it back to do anything big.

[locoluke]

Quality Pork International has shipped by rail in the last year, but it doesn’t seem like it’s been consistently.

The old Western Electric plant out by Millard still looks to do a healthy amount of traffic after being split up, but that property is very different from the Kellogg’s property.

[ricko]

i used to work nearby too. one day it was cholcolatey goodness blowing in, or the rotting rendering trailers from Quality Pork. btw, i heard they closed too.

this means all the rail served customers. on that spur have closed.

i believe the closure was a combination of things. old plant, needed rebuilt. heavy union presence. decline in breffast cereal demand.

union didnt do themselves any favors or read any tea leaves of the position they were negotiating from. osborn zero sum gamed himself out of a job.

ill never forget the union toadies trying to play frogger on F st during the '21 strike. it was as if they were trying to collect another kind of check.

I’ve had several family members (as well as myself during college) who’ve worked at the plant since the 1960’s, including a few in management. Unions made unbelievable wage concessions over the years to keep the plant open. Osborn was just trying to halt further concessions. It’s easy to blame unions for a company’s failure, but Kellogg’s has had unions almost since its beginnings. The real problem, like with many legacy industries, is its lack of vision and a refusal to recognize changing tastes. Fewer people are eating the sugar bombs that we call breakfast cereal. Next time you’re at the store, check the nutrition labels on each box. It’s pretty depressing.

[OverlookedFarm]

i used to work nearby too. one day it was cholcolatey goodness blowing in, or the rotting rendering trailers from Quality Pork. btw, i heard they closed too.

this means all the rail served customers. on that spur have closed.

i believe the closure was a combination of things. old plant, needed rebuilt. heavy union presence. decline in breffast cereal demand.

union didnt do themselves any favors or read any tea leaves of the position they were negotiating from. osborn zero sum gamed himself out of a job.

ill never forget the union toadies trying to play frogger on F st during the '21 strike. it was as if they were trying to collect another kind of check.

I’ve had several family members (as well as myself during college) who’ve worked at the plant since the 1960’s, including a few in management. Unions made unbelievable wage concessions over the years to keep the plant open. Osborn was just trying to halt further concessions. It’s easy to blame unions for a company’s failure, but Kellogg’s has had unions almost since its beginnings. The real problem, like with many legacy industries, is its lack of vision and a refusal to recognize changing tastes. Fewer people are eating the sugar bombs that we call breakfast cereal. Next time you’re at the store, check the nutrition labels on each box. It’s pretty depressing.

pretty much what i said.

lets not forget, ferraro is a sugar confectionary company, not a baker miller, if that tells you anything.

[Ben]

I know these things take time, but it would be interesting to hear the work going on at the Chamber/Economic Development office to market this property. Huge opportunity for a large employer/manufacturer to be courted to the Omaha metro. As others have said, rail access, already well connected utility wise, not in the middle of nowhere (like many marketed manufacturing sites are), good history of manufacturing employee availability.
Honestly got to wonder if the city (or some other org, like one of the groups of philanthropists -akin to what was done with that whole stretch along I-80/rail corridor previously) would consider purchasing the site from Ferraro to allow the city to market it better and/or demolish the current structures to make it more attractive to future tenants.

[almighty_tuna]

Agreed, Ben, these are prime industry sites with the rail access. Surely we can get some jobs in there.