Fresco Foods, Inc., operator of Eat Fresco, a provider of healthy prepared meals, will invest approximately $1.5 million in a new commercial kitchen and food service production facility in eastern Hillsborough County, Florida.

The new 12,000 square foot facility, located at 9410 E. Broadway Avenue, will be completed in January 2017, allowing Fresco Foods, Inc. to scale its business throughout the state next year and develop partnerships with large retailers. The project will bring up to 50 new jobs in roles ranging from sales and marketing, quality assurance, operations, customer service and food production.

"Since our launch in February 2015, Eat Fresco has experienced tremendous demand in Florida,” said Robert Povolny, President of Fresco Foods, Inc. “Working with CBRE and the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation (EDC), we found an ideal location for a large scale production kitchen in Hillsborough County with access to the major interstates. The EDC also provided us with valuable support for our expansion, helping us to expedite our plans for growth.”

To help Fresco Foods, Inc. staff up quickly, the EDC introduced the company to CareerSource Tampa Bay, which offers resources for screening and hiring new employees. The EDC also connected Fresco Foods to resources at Hillsborough County for expedited permitting and sales tax exemptions, saving the business time and money.

“We are pleased to be working with fast-growing young companies like Fresco Foods to help them find the talent they need and provide more local career opportunities,” said Ed Peachey, President & CEO of CareerSource Tampa Bay. “We look forward to being a valuable resource for them as they continue to expand.”

“Fresco Foods’ impressive success in its first year in business is a point of pride for us, demonstrating the quality and diversity of entrepreneurs we have in Tampa and Hillsborough County,” said Ken Atwater, Ph.D., chair of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation and president of Hillsborough Community College. “The EDC is committed to helping Fresco Foods succeed with their current expansion plans and looks forward to assisting them with future growth initiatives down the road.”