Cinnaire made a $7 million investment in New Markets Tax Credits to support the rehabilitation and expansion of the former Prairie Farms dairy plant into the Tillamook Decatur Creamery in Decatur, Illinois
The facility at 757 N Morgan St. in Decatur is being transformed into a 79,000-square-foot creamery to enhance Tillamook County Creamery Association’s production efforts in the Eastern United States.
The project, which began construction in June 2024 and is set for completion in February 2025, will revitalize the vacant building and establish a dedicated ice cream manufacturing plant. This expansion marks a significant milestone as TCCA’s first wholly owned and operated manufacturing facility outside of Oregon and its only facility solely dedicated to ice cream production. Tillamook is an Oregon-based dairy co-op and manufacturer known for their award-winning cheese, yogurt, butter, and ice cream.
The Tillamook Decatur Creamery will create approximately 49 new full-time jobs, contributing to economic growth in the Decatur area. Originally opened in 1918 by Swift and Company, the Decatur plant was later acquired by Prairie Farms in 1977, where it served as an ice cream production facility until its closure in early 2022. TCCA is modernizing the entire facility to meet its high manufacturing quality standards. TCCA is spending approximately $74 million adding automation, robotic palletizing, and improving employee welfare spaces.
