Bunge is doubling down on the West Bank, pouring $225 million into an expansion of its Avondale refinery that the company says will sharply increase output and, by its own estimate, turn the site into the largest palm and specialty oils processing plant in North America. The build-out follows Bunge’s 2023 purchase of the Fuji Vegetable Oil refinery inside the IMTT Avondale Terminal and significant construction carried out during 2025. The 15-acre plant currently employs roughly 50 people, and company and local officials say the boosted production will come with additional hiring as the facility ramps up.
What the Expansion Adds and How Big It Gets
As reported by New Orleans CityBusiness, the $225 million project includes a new vegetable-oil processing line and supporting structures that will triple the plant’s output to roughly 6,000 standard rail cars a year. CityBusiness notes that the enlarged operation will connect with Bunge’s existing Avondale footprint and is one piece of about $1 billion in company projects across the New Orleans region.
Local Partners and Timeline
The Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission says it joined Bunge at an August 2024 groundbreaking and expects employment at the Avondale site to climb about 10 percent from current levels. In a press release from JEDCO, Brian Hudson, Bunge’s general manager of tropical and specialty oils, said, "We are thankful for the support from great local partners and look forward to commissioning the expanded facility."
Destrehan JV and the Regional Push
Bunge is pairing the Avondale work with a separate, large-scale effort: an $800 million oilseed processing plant in Destrehan developed with Chevron under the Bunge Chevron Ag Renewables joint venture. Per a Bunge press release, the Destrehan plant is designed to process soybeans and softseeds for renewable-fuel feedstocks and is expected to be operational in this year, making both projects part of the company’s roughly $1 billion New Orleans-area investment.
Jobs, Supply Chains and the West Bank
Local reporting links the Avondale and Destrehan projects as an approximately $1 billion investment that will generate construction and operations jobs across the region, and New Orleans CityBusiness reports that more than 90 new Louisiana jobs are tied to the package. Jefferson Parish officials say the investment strengthens the West Bank’s industrial cluster and port-side logistics for food, feed and renewable-fuel customers.
Next Steps
Industry coverage notes that much of the heavy construction for the Avondale expansion took place in 2025, with remaining work focused on commissioning, final testing and hiring as the site comes online. Food Business News and local officials say the companies and parish are now shifting into staffing and operational testing as the projects move from construction to full production.
