Wixon, the seasoning and flavor manufacturer with deep roots in the Milwaukee area, has finished a $25.6 million expansion of its Milwaukee south side plant. The project more than tripled the operation's footprint and created 110 jobs. What started as a toehold in a corner of a big industrial building is now a sprawling manufacturing and distribution hub.
The company announced the completion on Oct. 28, according to Provisioner Online. The work began in fall 2025, and Wixon previously operated within only a portion of the Milwaukee property. Wixon West now spans more than 350,000 square feet.
The expanded plant now has five packaging lines, including a new high-speed line, along with segregated blending suites. It also adds quality and analytical resources and expanded distribution and warehousing capabilities. According to Urban Milwaukee, the facility sits at 200 W. Vogel Ave. on a 13.7-acre property just west of Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport.
A Building With a Longer Backstory
The Urban Milwaukee report traces the site's history through city assessment records and a 2021 purchase. Gott Real Estate, which previously owned a portion of the building, acquired the property identified as 360 W. Vogel Ave. for $3.1 million in 2021. City assessment records put that building at roughly 340,358 square feet and show it was built in 1970.
Wixon's president, Peter Gottsacker, led the company's 2004 purchase from Fontarôme, the French flavors and fragrances business that had owned it since the early 1980s, per the same report. Gottsacker also owns Gott Pet Products. The paper notes that Oliver Construction Co. served as general contractor on a phased buildout, citing building permits.
What the Company Says About the Payoff
Gottsacker described Wixon West as an investment in the company's people, customers and future, Urban Milwaukee reports. Chief Operating Officer Patrick McGarry said the expansion strengthens Wixon's capacity to meet evolving customer needs. Urban Milwaukee quotes Patrick McGarry saying that with additional capacity and upgraded infrastructure, “we're better equipped to support existing business, respond to new opportunities.”
This is not Wixon's first big capital push. Back in 2021, Baking Business reported that the company planned to invest more than $15 million to expand its St. Francis facilities, including a 100,000-square-foot manufacturing building in the airport industrial park. Gottsacker said at the time that projected compound annual growth of 45%, on top of over 50% growth the prior year, made it clear Wixon “would need more room for success.”
Who Wixon Is and Where It Is Hiring
Wixon develops and manufactures custom flavors, seasonings and ingredient blends for food, beverage and nutritional product companies, according to Urban Milwaukee. Its products include spice blends, sauces, marinades, dry mixes and flavoring systems used in snack foods, prepared meals, beverages and nutritional supplements. The company also offers contract manufacturing and packaging services, and the report says it was founded in 1907.
The Milwaukee plant is one of three Wixon blending and flavor production facilities in the metro area, and the headquarters and primary manufacturing campus remains at 1390 E. Bolivar Ave. in St. Francis. On its careers page, Wixon lists a machine operator opening with a starting wage of $18 to $25 an hour depending on experience, plus a $1 shift premium for second shift and $3 for third. The available reporting does not break down how the 110 new jobs are distributed or whether they have all been filled.
