Spreading Success: The Opening of our McCalla, Alabama Facility

November 7th, 2024, marked an important day for The J.M. Smucker Co. and our Uncrustables^® business. After years of planning and preparation, our newest Uncrustables sandwich manufacturing facility in McCalla, Alabama celebrated its opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The event captured all of the excitement and hard work that went into building a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility. The celebration included attendance from state and local officials in addition to Company leadership.  

The Uncrustables business has maintained an exceptional track record when it comes to growth and as it continues to grow, it demands more resources and production. This new facility will allow the brand to flex that growth while supporting our goal of delivering $1 billion in annual net sales by the end of fiscal year 2026.  

We recently connected with Nicole Newell, Director of Operations at the McCalla facility, to get her thoughts on all of the hard work leading up to this exciting milestone and what comes next. 

The entire process was amazing, and I have been so impressed with the many Smucker employees and partners who played a role in the site’s construction and operation. I remember when we first started this work – and preparing the land for development, there was a group of us working each day out of a small house. Fast forward to now, we have a 900,000 square foot, state-of-the-art food manufacturing facility featuring the latest technology, equipment and office space for collaboration and innovation. I am so proud and appreciative of the hundreds of employees, contractors, architects, engineers and many others who helped get the facility constructed and operational. 

The plan we have in place for our business, and the strategy that informs that plan, has me extremely excited about our growth potential; not just for the Uncrustables brand, but for our entire Company. A key part of that strategy is delivering superior products to our consumers while working hard to meet the ever-growing demand of Uncrustables, and I just have to say that the potential we have is met and even possibly exceeded by the passion and commitment of our employees. I am truly humbled to work with such a talented team.  

And to that end, while we continue to support the growth of the Uncrustables business, I am equally excited about the growth opportunities for the individuals here in McCalla. I cannot wait to see the teams continue to increase their knowledge and expertise and expand their capabilities, all while tackling new opportunities and challenges that allow for both professional and personal growth. 

Appreciation and enthusiasm. We've received so many calls and invitations to engage with the community through sponsorships, festivals and more. We are leaning on our established strategy and focusing on community engagements that have the greatest impact on the area. We've received so much support from the state and the county and are looking forward to continuing to nurture those relationships. I would just say pure enthusiasm overall! 

Strawberry. I think I’m just a strawberry girl!