Gilster-Mary Lee has a long and impressive history that started back in 1895, when seven Gilster siblings came to America and founded Gilster Milling. In just five years, they reached over $1 million in sales—a huge accomplishment for the time. In 1962, the company made several key acquisitions that helped it grow even more, eventually becoming the Gilster-Mary Lee Corporation we know today.

Now, the company focuses on producing private label food products and operates 11 manufacturing plants across the Midwest. Under the leadership of President Tom Welge, Gilster-Mary Lee has continued to expand and is especially well known for making the famous Chick-fil-A breading.

During our visit, we got to see how a variety of products are made, including cereals, marshmallows, frosting, and pasta. It was a great behind-the-scenes look at how large-scale food production works. President Welge’s experience and leadership have clearly played a big role in the company’s continued success.

Thank you to President Welge for giving us the opportunity to tour his facilities—it was an incredible experience. We also really appreciate our tour guides for taking the time to show us around and share their knowledge with us throughout the day.

✍🏻 Post content written by CEO student Bradley Rodriguez