Sara Lee plans to move operations to Lake Hallie

TBL has learned that Downers Grove,IL-based Sara Lee Corp. has sold its Eau Claire sales and distribution facility and will be moving later this year to a new 6,840-square-foot building at 2889 130th St., in the Village of Lake Hallie. Construction of the new complex, which is located just south of the Hallie Town Hall, began earlier this month after the building permit was issued on Dec. 11, 2006.

According to Sara Lee Spokesperson Kelly O'Malley, the bread distributorship will retain its 11 employees and plans to occupy its new building sometime this summer.

Wayne Peters of Peters Real Estate and Development, who represented Sara Lee in the land acquisition, said Commonweal Development represented Helen Peck, who sold the five acre parcel in Hallie. Durand Builders is the general contractor for the new building.

The current 25,000-square-foot Sara Lee facility, 320 Putnam St., Eau Claire, which was previously a bakery when owned by St. Louis,MO-based Earthgrains and was known as Metz Baking prior to that, was purchased by Cigan Properties. The plant presently distributes the Wonder Bread product line.

Jack Kaiser, president of Cigan Properties, said he has been trying to acquire the former bakery building for the past three years.

"We approached them...and were finally able to come to terms. We are going to develop the building, but we're not sure what our plans are at this time," said Kaiser, who added that Sara Lee will lease their current facility until its new building is ready for occupancy.

Two years ago, Sara Lee Corp. was attempting to acquire land in the Gateway West Industrial Park off of Truax Boulevard in Eau Claire. However, those plans never came to fruition due to land planning issues. TBL