Tribe breaks ground on Gaia Prairie Band
A groundbreaking ceremony was held last Friday for a new 40,000-square foot manufacturing and warehouse facility, Gaia Prairie Band, east of U.S. Highway 75 on 150th Road.
The new business, which will initially employ about 20 people when it opens early next year, will produce 100 percent sustainable paper goods, including cups, straws and lids, according to Jacob Wamego, President and CEO of Prairie Band, LLC.
The manufacturing facility is the first major project that Prairie Band, LLC is developing at the intersection. Prairie Band, LLC is wholly-owned by the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.
“We’re the business arm of the Tribe that is not gaming,” Wamego said.
Prairie Band Ag, which is an industrial hemp operation, is a subsidiary of Prairie Band, LLC.
“Gaia came about because we are processing industrial hemp here on the reservation,” Wamego said. “Gaia makes the pulp for their sustainable products using ag waste, and they were looking for another site and so we teamed up. This provides other avenues for farmers in our community if they grow hemp, corn, milo or wheat and are looking for an outlet for that stock after they’ve harvested.”
Gaia Eco is an American company with “a vast network of qualified contract partners spread across Asia, India and Latin America,” including existing facilities in India and Brazil that produce 100 percent biodegradable paper cups and straws, according to a press release from Prairie Band LLC. Locally, Gaia has offices in Meriden and Lawrence.
“Gaia Prairie Band exemplifies the ideal partner for companies aiming to diversify their sourcing away from China,” Wamego said. “Gaia Prairie Band is dedicated to eliminating plastic from its products. This initiative not only highlights the innovative use of natural resources but also aligns with the global shift towards sustainable development.”
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