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.”…