In 2018, officials from the city of Shelbyville and Shelby County cooperated in the purchase of 131 acres for potential development.  

In 2019, Greenleaf Foods, SPC announced it was purchasing the land and investing $310 million in what is expected to be the largest plant-based protein foods facility in North America. 

At a ground breaking ceremony in April of 2019, officials stated Greenleaf would build the facility and create as many as 460 jobs by the end of 2022. 

The 230,000 square-foot facility is to be located on 57 acres east of I-74 and south of State Road 44 and is on property that First Presbyterian Church was going to develop on prior to the city and county purchasing the land. 

The Greenleaf development was to be the largest industrial project in the history of the city.

However, progress on the development has slowed since due to the Covid-19 global pandemic. 

Shelbyville Mayor Tom DeBaun told Giant FM Greenleaf has suffered the same effects of the pandemic as you would expect in an uncertain market. 

"Because of that, the project was delayed but still on track to be completed. Greenleaf's leadership still is committed to Shelbyville, and we continue to work with them to complete their design and approve their site and development plan. I anticipate the commencement of more work on that project in the very near future," DeBaun said. 

Greenleaf has hired several employees, who were working in their temporary offices in Intelliplex but are now working from home. Currently, Greenleaf is going through the review process by Planning and Zoning. 

DeBaun said he is unsure if the goal to hire 460 employees by the end of 2022 is realistic due to the pandemic, but he says he remains confident Greenleaf will continue its investment in Shelbyville. 

"These projects go through a tremendous amount of review and discussion. The decisions to support projects like these aren't made lightly, so there is a high degree of confidence they will succeed," DeBaun told Giant FM.