Bunge opens largest U.S. soy protein concentrate plant in Indiana

Bunge’s new soy protein concentrate plant in Morristown turned a $550 million bet on legacy crop proteins into a major new supply node for food and feed makers. The facility, which Bunge said officially opened on May 11 after a ribbon-cutting on May 7, became the largest soy protein concentrate operation of its kind in the United States and one of the company’s most important assets.

The project matters far beyond a single plant opening. By adding a fully integrated soy protein concentrate and textured soy protein concentrate operation to Bunge’s existing soybean processing complex, the company shortened the path from raw soybeans to higher-value ingredients in one place. That kind of capacity can change how buyers think about availability, pricing and formulation, especially as manufacturers look for scalable, cost-effective plant proteins that can deliver texture, neutral color and a clean taste profile.

Bunge said the Morristown site will process about 4.5 million bushels of soybeans a year and created 70 new jobs. About half of the output will be exported and half consumed in the United States, giving the plant a role in both domestic ingredient supply and global trade. The facility is dedicated exclusively to food production and sits about 35 miles southeast of Indianapolis in Shelby County.

The opening also marks a notable shift in the protein ingredients landscape. Industry coverage described Morristown as the first new U.S. soy protein concentrate plant built in more than four decades, a sign that soy, one of the oldest plant protein platforms, is back in the conversation as manufacturers search for alternatives that can scale without the cost pressure now facing newer protein sources. Bunge’s product materials already position its PurePro soy protein concentrate portfolio for plant-based meat, bakery, snacks, beverages, pet food and animal feed, and the Morristown plant extends that reach with conventional and non-GMO capability.

Bunge’s Bellevue, Ohio facility remains its established source of conventional soy protein concentrates, but Morristown gives the company added flexibility across specifications and markets. Bunge materials say PurePro powdered and textured concentrates carry a 69% minimum protein level on a dry basis, while the company’s soy protein isolates reach 90% on a dry basis. That range gives formulators more room to balance protein content, mouthfeel and cost across everything from plant-based foods to processed meat products.

Gregory Heckman and Brian Douville were among the Bunge executives tied to the opening, which drew state and local officials, Shelby County leaders and nearly 100 attendees. Bunge first announced the project on December 15, 2022, as a long-term industrial investment, and its 2026 investor materials said the Morristown plant went online in late 2025 and could become the largest single-line food SPC facility globally. For Indiana soybean growers, it adds a substantial new home for beans already moving through one of the country’s most strategically important crop corridors.