Red Star Yeast ribbon-cutting marks addition of new fermenter

Officials cut the ceremonial ribbon for the addition of a new fermenter at the Red Star Yeast plant in southwest Cedar Rapids March 31. CREDIT RICHARD PRATT

Red Star Yeast officials hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, March 31 to mark the construction of a new yeast fermenter at the company’s southwest Cedar Rapids plant.

Equipment for the new fermenter has been ordered, and it’s expected to be operational by the end of this year, plant manager George Parry said.

Red Star, a joint venture of ADM and Lesaffre, began operation in Cedar Rapids in 2005. Now the largest fresh yeast manufacturing plant in the world, it’s seen three previous expansion projects and has nearly doubled its workforce over its 17-year history.

This story will be updated.