Governor Hochul Announces Belgioioso Cheese to Invest $23 Million for Expansion Projects in Capital Region and Southern Tier

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that Wisconsin-based cheesemaker BelGioioso Cheese will upgrade and expand operations in New York State. The company will invest over $23 million at its facilities in Glenville, Schenectady County, and Campbell, Steuben County, committing to creating at least 30 new jobs between the two sites. In addition to the direct job creation goals, this expansion will also see the utilization of an additional 100 million pounds of milk from New York State’s dedicated dairy farmers. Empire State Development has agreed to support the project 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.”

Founded in 1979, BelGioioso Cheese operates eleven plants that make over 30 varieties of Italian cheeses. At the 2025 Great New York State Fair Dairy Competition, BelGioioso brands took home seven medals, including three First Place Gold medals for Polly-O Low Moisture Whole Milk String Cheese, Polly-O New York Style Impastata, and Cappiello Natural Hickory Smoked Fresh Mozzarella.

In 2020, BelGioioso Cheese completed construction on a $25 million, 96,000-square-foot cheese plant in the Glenville Business and Technology Park in the Capital Region. The Glenville campus includes a manufacturing plant, and a distribution center built in 2022 – both of which will continue to facilitate growth. Schenectady County Metroplex Development Authority has agreed to provide a $150,000 capital grant to support this project, and a sales tax exemption for construction materials and supplies.

In 2021, the company purchased the Polly-O brand and its plant in Campbell in the Southern Tier. The Campbell facility was constructed in 1938 and as part of this project is undergoing upgrades to its existing infrastructure, continuing modernization efforts, including the addition of product lines to allow continued growth. The Steuben County Industrial Development Agency is also providing assistance for the project. Now underway, the upgrades at both facilities are expected to be completed by late 2027.

Polly-O General Manager Timothy Cronin said, “New York State plays a vital role in our success, and this investment reflects our commitment to the local communities, dairy farmers, and team members who help us craft our specialty cheeses every day. The Polly-O brand has a long and meaningful history in New York, and the Auricchio family has been dedicated to traditional cheesemaking for generations. The quality of milk produced in New York and the strong support from State and local partners make it possible for us to continue growing our operations here. We look forward to expanding our facilities, adding jobs, and strengthening our long-standing relationships with New York dairy farmers so we can honor both the BelGioioso and Polly-O cheesemaking traditions for generations to come.”

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “This continued partnership with BelGioioso Cheese highlights Governor Hochul's commitment to New York State's agribusiness industry and will further grow the company's presence in the Capital Region and Southern Tier. Through this expansion, BelGioioso is committing to creating more top-quality jobs, which will support New York's dairy farmers and increase the state's role as a leading dairy manufacturer.”

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “We’re thrilled that BelGioioso has decided to expand their roots here in New York State, growing their operations both in the Mohawk Valley and in the Southern Tier. This is great news for New York’s dairy farmers, who will be supplying milk to this state-of-the-art processing facility. I thank Governor Hochul, BelGioioso, and our partners at Empire State Development for this terrific investment in New York’s dairy community.”

Since taking office, Governor Hochul has made significant strides in expanding the dairy manufacturing sector in New York. In the last few years, New York has celebrated investments across the state, including a $650 million fairlife production plant in Webster, a $30 million expansion to the Agri-Mark cheese manufacturing facility in Chateaugay, a new $1.2 billion Chobani facility in Rome, Oneida County, and more, helping New York continue to be the leading producer of milk in the Northeast. There are currently nearly 300 world-recognized dairy processing plants across New York.