Anchorage Daily News

WASILLA -- The Matanuska Maid dairy's landmark plant in Anchorage could be in new hands this week. At least state officials hope that's the case.

On Thursday, Division of Agriculture officials plan to open bids for the dairy's now vacant main processing facility on Northern Lights Boulevard.

The dairy, taken over by the state in the 1980s after going bankrupt, was shut down in December because of financial difficulties.

Officials wouldn't say this week how many, if any, bids they have received for the Anchorage plant. The deadline for bids is 1 p.m. Thursday with a minimum required bid of $1.5 million for the plant and the 1.42 acres on which it sits.

A previous sale last fall for the plant and a sister bottle-making facility in Palmer failed to attract any bidders. The minimum price for that sale, which included equipment in the buildings, was $3.35 million. Most of the equipment has since been auctioned off for about $1.4 million.

Started in 1936 in Palmer as a cooperative, Matanuska Maid successfully sold cheese, milk, yogurt and orange juice and its iconic logo featuring a parka-clad girl was among the most well recognized in the state.

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