Zilber Property Group partnered with Saputo Cheese USA to expand the company’s growing Wisconsin operations with a new 310,000-square-foot cold storage facility in Caledonia Corporate Park. Designed to support Saputo’s rapidly increasing production at its Franklin plant, the facility serves as both a high-capacity distribution hub and a specialized environment for aging and storing its well-known cheese brands.

The building brings together the technical demands of modern cold storage with the efficiency and durability required for high-volume food distribution. Inside, the warehouse is engineered to be virtually airtight, supported by secondary vapor barrier systems and a specialized dry fire protection setup tailored to the building’s 36-foot clear height. Three mechanical penthouses—each holding 30,000 pounds of evaporator equipment—anchor the facility’s cooling performance and long-term reliability.

At the front of the building, a 7,000-square-foot office buildout provides Saputo’s team with dedicated workspace, including private offices, a break room, and locker facilities that streamline day-to-day operations.

Delivering a project of this scale brought significant challenges. Poor soil conditions required Portland-cement stabilization, and winter weather made enclosure and slab placement difficult. A custom-designed framing solution was also developed to integrate a unique dock system with the facility’s insulated metal panel (IMP) walls. Each issue was tackled through strategic planning, value engineering, and tight coordination—keeping the project on track for Saputo’s operational needs.

Beyond its technical achievements, the project represents major economic growth for the region. Saputo expects to create more than 160 new jobs over the next three years, strengthening Wisconsin’s role in the company’s North American supply chain and driving long-term investment in Racine County.

Sustainability played a central role in the design, with high-efficiency LED lighting, Type L carbon-capture concrete, and infrastructure ready for a fully solar-equipped roof. Together, these strategies reduce energy use and position the building for future advancements in clean industrial operations.

The Zilber | Saputo Cold Storage TI project sets a new standard for food-grade industrial development—highly technical, efficiently executed, and built to support a growing Wisconsin manufacturer for decades to come.