Today's Poll: Will the Muller Quaker yogurt plant boost the local economy?

According to a GCEDC, for every $1 invested by Waving Holding the local economy will benefit by $14.47.

They received $11 million in benefits. What is the multiplier effect for every $1 removed from the local economy?

It would seem that you would have to determine a break even point before you could say that there is a boost.

Certainly, those that have jobs there will see a personal economic boost.

I guess time will tell if the multiplier effect is a reliable metric or just malarky.

It has provided jobs that were not there before, a new demand for local raw material, new taxes paid by the employer and employees, new demand for transportation (incoming raw material and manufacturing supplies; outgoing finished product and waste material), and more available discretionary income to be spent at local businesses. Whether it meets the expectations put forth by GCEDC remains to be seen, but I don't see how it can't be a boost. Let's take our victories when they come and give credit where it is due.

Let's see if the company and brand last more than a decade or two then count the dividends.

At over $1 per 5.3 oz. container, it better be the best yogurt on the planet.

Not all the jobs are taken by local (Genesee County) folks and not all of the hard earned wages will be spent in Genesee County. The long term gain may be there, but in the meantime the local taxpaying folks are subsidizing the majority of the infrastructure (including inspections, police protection, fire protection, etc...).

That said, Jeff's right - there should be some immediate positive impact. It would be nice to quantify it and chart it over time, but I do not know of anyone chartered to gather and publish the statistics on a regular basis (monthly would be good).

I was hoping there would be a open house this afternoon for the public. I would be very interested in seeing the equipment used to produce yogurt. But I read on line it will be closed to the public.

I'm quite glad, regardless. They're my favorite brand of greek yogurt, and it's a pain in the rump finding them in stock anywhere! Whenever I do find their greek variety in stock, I usually buy 15-20+ if they have it. In fact I just picked up 20 at Wally world the other day since they had a whole bunch for once.

From their website. This might explain the lack of product :)

Q: Where is your yogurt made?

A: Our yogurt is currently made at Müller’s production facility in Leppersdorf, Germany. Production will shift to the U.S. next year when our plant in upstate New York opens.

What Jeff said........