By Blake Jackson
Governor Kathy Hochul announced that Wisconsin-based BelGioioso Cheese will invest more than $23 million to expand and upgrade its operations in New York State.
The expansion will take place at the company’s facilities in Glenville, Schenectady County, and Campbell, Steuben County, creating at least 30 new jobs across both locations.
Additionally, the project will utilize an extra 100 million pounds of milk sourced from New York dairy farmers. Empire State Development will support the initiative with up to $1.5 million in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits.
“This decision by BelGioioso to further expand its operations upstate marks yet another chapter in New York’s agricultural success story,” Governor Hochul said. “New York’s dairy industry serves as a crucial economic engine for our state, and we are grateful to this successful company for its continued commitment to these communities, and to area dairy farmers, who always work hard to help position our state as one of the nation’s top dairy producers.”
BelGioioso Cheese, founded in 1979, operates 11 plants producing over 30 varieties of Italian cheeses. At the 2025 Great New York State Fair Dairy Competition, the company earned seven medals, including three First Place Gold awards for Polly-O Low Moisture Whole Milk String Cheese, Polly-O New York Style Impastata, and Cappiello Natural Hickory Smoked Fresh Mozzarella.
The Glenville facility, built in 2020 with a 96,000-square-foot plant and a distribution center added in 2022, will continue to support production growth. Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority is contributing a $150,000 capital grant and a sales tax exemption on construction materials.
In Campbell, BelGioioso, which purchased the Polly-O brand in 2021, is upgrading the historic 1938 plant with modern infrastructure and new product lines. The Steuben County Industrial Development Agency is also providing assistance, with completion expected by late 2027.
Governor Hochul has emphasized expanding New York’s dairy sector, with recent investments including a $650 million fairlife plant in Webster, a $30 million Agri-Mark expansion in Chateaugay, and a $1.2 billion Chobani facility in Rome.
New York is home to nearly 300 dairy processing plants and roughly 3,000 dairy farms producing over 16 billion pounds of milk annually, making it the nation’s fifth-largest dairy state.
The dairy industry contributes nearly half of the state’s agricultural receipts and drives significant economic activity. Governor Hochul remains committed to supporting dairy farmers through programs that modernize farms, improve infrastructure, and promote environmental sustainability, including $34 million in capital funding for on-farm milk storage and related enhancements.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-yuriys
Categories: New York, Business, Government & Policy