Amy's Kitchen Making $100M Move to Goshen

Amy's Kitchen, the producer of natural and organic convenience foods and frozen specialty foods, received approval from New York State and Orange County officials this week to move forward with its plans to build a manufacturing plant of between 350,000 square feet to 500,000 square feet in Goshen. The acquisition and plant project will total approximately $100 million in investment, according to a GlobeSt.com report. Empire State Development announced Tuesday that it has agreed to provide Amy's Kitchen with $6.8 million in performance-based incentives, in the form of a capital grant and Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits. Amy's has also applied to the Orange County Industrial Development Agency (IDA), which announced today that it had approved giving $500,000 to Amy's Kitchen for infrastructure work, for $11.4 million in tax breaks.

"Amy's Kitchen has been on a tear with these organic products, specialty food products, a variety of food categories, growing, growing, growing," said Empire State Development Corporation President Kenneth Adams. "So I think we can see a lot in store for the region as a result of this investment and what's more, you are talking about an impact for local farmers and growers and food producers, who in time will become major suppliers to this facility, which will then prepare the foods and distribute them and sell them."

Amy's Kitchen, which plans to employ some 700 people at the new plant, expects to break ground early next year and open the facility by the end of 2016. Currently celebrating its twenty-fifth year in business, the company founded by Andy and Rachel Berliner and named after their daughter, Amy.

"We are so excited about the opportunity to build a plant in Goshen. Geographically it's in the perfect spot to supply our largest customers. The potential to source so many of our agricultural ingredients close to the plant was another important factor in our decision. We also believe it's a great area to attract excellent employees. The site we've chosen is beautiful and situated on the Walkill River. The help and support we've received from the State, County and city has been outstanding, not to mention the warm response and interest we've received from the local community," said Andy Berliner, owner of Amy's Kitchen.

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Amy's Kitchen Invests $63M in Greenville Location

Amy’s Kitchen will establish a new production facility in Greenville County, SC investing $63 million and generating more than 700 new jobs in the area over the next six years according to a WSPA News Channel 7 piece. Governor Nikki Haley made the announcement this week saying the move is "a major economic development win not just for the Upstate, but South Carolina as a whole. Amy’s Kitchen’s commitment to invest $63 million and create 700 new jobs will have an impact for years to come. Our administration continues to work daily on making sure South Carolina has the competitive business climate that attracts investments like this one. We thank Amy’s Kitchen for deciding to invest in the Palmetto State and look forward to a long relationship with them."

Amy's will be purchasing the former Sara Lee building and updating the facility with new machinery and equipment, expecting to begin their local operations in January 2012. The family-owned firm was founded 23 years ago by Rachel and Andy Berliner and is named after their daughter, Amy, according to the company’s website.

Andy Berliner, the CEO of the family-owned natural foods producer based in Sonoma County, said the move allows the firm to open its first East Coast plant.

"Greenville County provided us with an excellent site and an existing structure suiting our needs," Berliner said in a statement. "The state of South Carolina offered us a positive business environment as well as exceptional market access."

For more news and information visit Blumberg Capital Partners.