Most people see salmon and think coastline. GoodLife Agriculture saw Nebraska.
In an industry long anchored to oceans and ports, the company recognized something others may overlook: the greatest opportunity wasn’t along the coasts; it was closer to the customer.
That belief is now taking physical shape in Nebraska City, where GoodLife is developing a 250,000-square-foot next-generation seafood processing facility in the Greater Omaha region.
“What we’re trying to solve here is freshness. It’s fresh, sustainable, and readily available to Midwest customers,” said Founder of GoodLife Agriculture Kiel VanderVeen.
For companies considering expansion, their story is a reminder that rethinking the map is a strategic move.
Seafood processing in North America has followed the same path for decades. “Almost all the fish you eat either comes from Norway or Chile. With their process, the quickest you can get fish at a restaurant or store, fresh never frozen, is day 10 after they get caught,” explained VanderVeen.
Instead of competing within the existing system, GoodLife is redesigning it.
“People wonder what’s the salmon domain in the Midwest? Well, within 600 miles of our facility there is 620,000 tons of salmon consumed,” added VanderVeen.
That entire market sits within a single day’s truck drive. VanderVeen said access to I-29 and I-80 is critical. Proximity to Kansas City also streamlines import logistics and customs processing. “We can get our fresh product to our consumers as soon as possible and preserve that freshness that our customers enjoy,” said VanderVeen.
For companies focused on growth, the takeaway is straightforward: proximity creates advantage. But seeing opportunity is one thing. Building on it requires the right foundation.
“In our part of the state there’s still abundant power that’s affordable. We have all the resources here from land, labor and power, and we have abundant water. That causes this area of the state to be incredibly competitive for anything agriculture or food processing related,” said VanderVeen.
While coastal processing hubs face escalating land, labor and utility costs, Nebraska offers balance, allowing companies to attract talent without compromising operating efficiency.
But for GoodLife, the advantage goes beyond infrastructure. It’s also about quality of life and the strength of the community behind the project.
Following a devastating fire in October 2024 that destroyed crops and salmon, GoodLife experienced firsthand the partnerships that fuel resilience.
“The support of the local community has been huge, both after the fire and through various economic development programs, that’s been great. And you know seeing the team pull together, it’s neat to see everyone rolling in the same direction,” added VanderVeen.
It reinforces what many expanding companies seek: alignment between business goals and community priorities.
The new 250,000-square-foot food production and distribution facility, set to break ground this summer, is designed to process up to 70,000 tons, approximately 140 million pounds of fish annually making it one of the most advanced seafood operations in North America.
The facility will incorporate advanced automation technology, with only one out of 10 fillets touched by human hands once it enters the line – including packaging. The result is efficiency, consistency and a model built for long-term scalability.
VanderVeen explained an economic study estimates the construction phase alone will generate approximately $500 million in regional impact.
“The partnership with the city and economic development has been outstanding. Anything we need from the city, it’s a conversation, it’s not a negotiation. Everyone takes a mentality of this is good for the city and this is good for the community. We’re bringing jobs and more assessed value and that’s refreshing,” said VanderVeen.
The scale reflects confidence. Not just in a product but in a place.
So, what would VanderVeen tell other companies considering expansion?
“If you’re looking for true community partnerships and employees who care, Nebraska’s the place to be.”
GoodLife Agriculture saw opportunity where others saw geography. For companies evaluating their next move, Greater Omaha offers the same chance – to build at the center of demand, with infrastructure, workforce and partnership aligned for growth.