Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association (Maryland & Virginia) has announced that New Bern-native Mike Hawkins of Magnolia Investors, LLC has purchased the 80,000-square-foot property that was once home to the Maola Milk & Ice Cream Company processing plant. Sale of the facility located at 305 Avenue C in New Bern was completed on Aug. 4, 2016.

Magnolia Investors, LLC plans to keep the historic Maola plant intact and will redevelop the 22-acre site, which includes several office buildings, two manufacturing facilities and two garages, into a multi-use property with commercial lease options. In addition to this property, Hawkins has also redeveloped the former Montgomery Ward location in New Bern into a 12-acre medical park. He just completed a redevelopment of the former Eastern Building Components truss plant into Latitude Church at 1732 Race Track Rd. and is currently working on redeveloping the former CenturyLink call center on DR M L King Jr Blvd. in New Bern.

Magnolia Investors, LLC announced that Maryland & Virginia will continue to lease space for Maola’s distribution operations, which employ 11 people. E&M Ice Cream will also continue to lease space at the plant.

“As a New Bern native who grew up only five blocks from the Maola property, I know what this company means to everyone who was raised on Maola milk and ice cream,” said Hawkins. “I am proud to preserve the physical structure and legacy of this historic brand, while also helping to support business growth in the downtown New Bern community.”

Maryland & Virginia purchased the plant and Maola brand in January 2003. In July 2014, the cooperative consolidated its fluid milk processing operations to Newport News, Virginia and High Point, North Carolina to be closer to its customers and metropolitan areas. To this day, customers across the Carolinas and Virginia still enjoy the same fresh, high quality milk that has made Maola a household name and trusted brand since 1935.

“This facility has served New Bern’s economy for more than 80 years, and we recognize its historical importance and timeless value to the community,” said Amber Sheridan, corporate communications director at Maryland & Virginia. “New Bern will always be Maola’s hometown, and we are pleased that the building will retain its iconic status in the community under its new ownership.”

MARYLAND & VIRGINIA MILK PRODUCERS COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION:

Maryland & Virginia is a milk marketing cooperative owned by 1,500 dairy farm families. The cooperative has been cultivating dairy goodness and providing customers throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern U.S. with fresh milk and dairy products since 1920. Maryland & Virginia processes and markets Marva Maid and Maola branded products, as well as bulk dairy ingredients. For more information, visit http://mdvamilk.com.

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