3 Reasons Food Processors Thrive in Buffalo Niagara

Buffalo Niagara has the right recipe of ingredients to support your food & beverage processing company. Here are 3 reasons why your company could find success in Western New York.

In Good Company

Buffalo Niagara boasts a thriving and expanding agribusiness cluster with over 1,000 companies. Legacy brands such as Lactalis, Rich Products, General Mills, O-AT-KA, Perry’s Ice Cream, Rosina Foods, and Steuben Foods have laid the foundation for success. Building on this strong base, Invest Buffalo Niagara has proudly assisted innovative companies like FoodNerd, Sucro Sourcing, and Top Seedz in expanding their operations in the region. Notably, HP Hood’s 458,000-square-foot plant in Batavia was named 2024 Dairy Foods Plant of the Year, further showcasing the region’s prominence in the food processing sector.

Location

Buffalo Niagara’s strategic location puts it within a 10-hour drive of 40% of the bi-national population, providing food processors with easy access to an immense market while reducing spoilage risks. This prime location is complemented by several key strengths:

• Dairy Leadership: New York is the fifth-largest dairy-producing state in the U.S., with Wyoming County, within Buffalo Niagara’s service territory, ranking as the state’s top dairy-producing county. New York also ranks fourth in cheese production, and first in the production of yogurt, sour cream, and cottage cheese.

• Fresh Water & Hydropower: About 20% of the U.S.’s fresh water flows through Niagara Falls, a vital resource that also generates low-cost, reliable hydropower. By New York State law, this power is reserved for companies expanding or establishing operations in the Buffalo Niagara region, depending on project size, scope, and job creation. Additionally, food processors benefit from other state incentives, including a 0% corporate income tax rate for food processing businesses.

• Infrastructure: The region offers access to large water aquifers, municipal sewer systems, and advanced wastewater treatment facilities, ensuring efficient operations for food processors.

Ecosystem Support

The eight-county Buffalo Niagara region is home to 20 colleges and universities, a number that expands to 46 within 100 miles of downtown Buffalo. This robust academic network produces a steady pipeline of talent and resources tailored to support food processing and agribusiness. Below are highlights of relevant programs:

Cornell University

• Food Processing Development Laboratory (FPDL): Offers product development and short-term manufacturing spaces for research, innovation, and new food business launches.

• Department of Food Science: Combines biology, microbiology, chemistry, and nutrition in food and beverage studies.

• Dairy Foods Extension Program: Focuses on dairy research and milk processing, with products supplied directly to Cornell’s campus.

• Brewing Program & Extension Enology Lab (CELL): Conducts fermentation projects in collaboration with researchers.

Alfred State College

• Agricultural Technology Program: Features a 5,300-square-foot greenhouse and the only U.S. institution offering both conventional and organic dairy systems on one farm.

• Agricultural Business Program: Includes an 800-acre college farm and the Center for Organic and Sustainable Agriculture.

Genesee Community College

• Career Pathways Agribusiness Academy: Guides high school seniors exploring careers in agribusiness.

• Food Processing Technology: Supports New York’s food and beverage supply chain.

• Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP): Prepares students to implement and maintain HACCP systems.

Niagara University

• Food Industry Leadership Program: Offers interdisciplinary education on the food industry alongside chosen academic fields.

• Food Industry Excellence Center (FICoE): Provides executive support, education programs, and student opportunities in the food sector.

• Food & Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Marketing: Prepares students for careers in global food and brand marketing.