South Dakota
Schwan’s purchases Sioux Falls land for new food production facility • South Dakota Searchlight
Three years after it was first announced, Schwan’s Co. is taking the next step in its investment in South Dakota after closing on 142 acres of land in northwest Sioux Falls.
The company plans to construct a 700,000-square-foot Asian food production facility at Foundation Park, including a wastewater treatment facility on the manufacturing site. The wastewater treatment facility will allow the company to discharge water to the city “with the least amount of impact on the city’s operations,” according to a news release.
The company, based in Minnesota and a subsidiary of South Korea-based CJ foods, originally announced its plans in 2021. The project at that time would have cost about $500 million and created 600 jobs in South Dakota’s largest city. Gov. Kristi Noem called it “the largest project in the history of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development” at the time. A similar description has since been applied to a potential $1 billion sustainable aviation fuel facility in Lake Preston.
The newest Schwan’s announcement does not have an official estimate for the cost of the facility, though it’ll still employ 600 people.
Noem welcomed the news Friday in a press release, saying, “South Dakota just keeps growing. Our ‘Open for Business’ mindset is transforming our state into an economic powerhouse.”
South Dakota’s unemployment rate in April 2024 stood at 2%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. South Dakota tied with North Dakota for the lowest unemployment rate in the nation at the time.
The new manufacturing facility will produce Asian-style foods, primarily for the Schwan’s bibigo brand, using automated production lines. The campus will also include a warehouse and distribution center, shipping and receiving docks, and office space.
The company also plans to open a regional office in downtown Sioux Falls “to support its continued expansion and operations at the new manufacturing facility,” according to a news release from the company. That office will employ another 50 people initially with potential to grow to 100 employees.
Schwan’s outgoing CEO Dimitrios P. Smyrnios said state and local officials helped the company “make great progress” on the project, which will increase production capacity for Schwan’s. The company’s bibigo brand is sold nationwide, including at Costco stores. The facility will join Asian food facilities for CJ Foods on the East and West coasts.
“I want to personally thank Governor Kristi Noem and her team for their leadership and commitment to our plans,” Smyrnios said in the news release. “Without her unwavering support, this project would not be possible. It’s clear to me that the ‘State of South Dakota is open for business.’”
State officials did not immediately respond to South Dakota Searchlight messages seeking information on any assistance offered to Schwan’s. The company directed questions about that topic to state officials.
Bob Mundt, president and CEO of the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, told Searchlight the organization does not disclose incentives given to potential business partners unless the company does.
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Barbara (Vance) Alfange, 93, died on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Greenfield, Massachusetts. She was born in Pierre, South Dakota, on October 8, 1932, the daughter of Lanky (Earl) and Pat (Velma Whitney) Vance. Her parents were avid nature lovers, with her mother, Pat, known for her sprawling flower gardens and a yard of plentiful birds. Thus, started Barbara’s own love affair with nature, especially bird watching.
After graduating from Pierre High School, she continued her education at the University of Colorado, where she met her husband of 64 years, Dean Alfange. In 1967, Barbara and Dean moved from Lehigh, Pennsylvania, to Leverett, Massachusetts, where Barbara worked for Smith College and ran a rare book business, specializing in literature by women, and Dean was professor of constitutional law and civil liberties and Dean of Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Acting Provost at the University of Massachusetts.
Barbara was a member of the Leverett Conservation Commission, committee chairman for Leverett Bicentennial Celebration, a devoted volunteer at the Greenfield Food Pantry, a trustee of the Leverett Library, and founder of the Friends of the Leverett Library. She was a longtime and instrumental advisory board member of Paris Press, suggesting literary works by women for the press to acquire, proof reading, and assisting with the press’s archives. In addition, she served as a program coordinator for Round the World Women, which connected international women, students, and non-students with volunteers from the greater Amherst community.
Along with several nieces, nephews, and cousins, she leaves many lifetime friends who will miss her dearly. She will be remembered for her wit, her passion for jazz, the visual arts, Scrabble, and democracy (supporting the recent No Kings rallies by holding up her handmade sign at the entrance to the Arbors).
There will be a celebration of Barbara’s life in May 2026 to be announced at a later date.
Donations in her honor may be made out to the Montague Reporter, 177 Avenue A, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, the Leverett Library, or the Greenfield Food Pantry.
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Roughly 15 miles west of Aberdeen sits a unique business in the small community of Mina. South Dakota Baskets Unlimited, however, was first established nearly four decades ago in Hub City.
Kris Scherr purchased the business on New Year’s Day 2023 and moved the shop location from Aberdeen to Mina, a town of less than 1,000 people.
She had owned a small gift shop in Mina when she was informed that Baskets Unlimited was for sale. Within three days, Scheer said she purchased the business and merged it into her current gift shop. And in the past two years, she turned it all into a “South Dakota Made” gift shop.
Products can be purchased individually, or baskets can be custom designed while a customer waits. Scherr has a storefront in Mina but does not keep normal set hours. Most sales are online, but when needed, she says customers can call her directly, and she will open the shop for them.
“The gift baskets are filled with some of our state’s finest products and novelties and can be shipped nationwide,” Scherr told the Aberdeen News. “Since I have purchased the business, I have doubled the sales from the previous years. I sell corporate gift baskets during the holidays and ship in a timely manner. My biggest challenge is the shipping time, but over the last few days I have managed to learn a few different ways of getting the product to customers within three or four days.”
Scherr has smoked pheasant, smoked turkey, buffalo, elk and beef salami as well as cheeses and sweets. She also sells snacks, like candy, jams, fruit syrups, honey and kuchens. There’s also coffee, bagels and hand-crafted soaps.
Baskets are loaded with lots of South Dakota made goodies. There are two breakfast baskets, the Dakota Family Breakfast and the Dakota Family Brunch. In addition, there is a Taste of South Dakota, The Granddaddy Gift Box and Game Day Party Box. But don’t forget Dakota USA and Dakota Gourmet.
Other gift ideas she has for sale include Terry Redlin pieces and Rosemary Millette mugs, plates, coasters and stained glass.
While Scherr is the lone employee at her shop, she says she relies on friends to help her through the busy times of the holidays.
“I live right across the street from my business, so I am very open to going to my shop at any time for someone to shop,” she added. “I totally enjoy this business and am willing to work with individuals and corporate establishments.”
South Dakota Baskets Unlimited can be reached by phone at 605-281-0670. The store is located at 227 S. Sunset Drive in Mina, South Dakota.
“I enjoy putting together each unique basket and also finding new South Dakota-made products to incorporate into my business,” Scherr said.
South Dakota
South Dakota Board of Regents approves 2.4% tuition increase at most public universities for 2026-27; South Dakota Mines students to see 5% increase
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