Fisher Meats, a processor of fresh and smoked meats, plans today to triple its footprint in Jay County, with plans to purchase, renovate and equip a 26,000-square-foot facility at 9885 W. State Road 67 in Redkey, Indiana.

The expansion will house the company’s smoked meat processing operations. The facility has been idle since early 2016 and is currently undergoing electrical and mechanical updates before Fisher Meats launches full operations there this month. The company’s Jay County growth will also include renovations at its existing facility in Portland, which focuses on fresh meat processing.

According Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Fisher Meats is currently seeing increased demand for its locally-made meat products due to a rising interest in farm-to-table initiatives, as well as the growth of its distribution area. To support this expansion, the company plans to hire for additional positions throughout the year.

“We are very fortunate to live and work in an area that appreciates locally-produced, quality food products and for some time we have been looking for opportunities to expand our operations in the nearby geographic area,” said Mike Fisher, co-owner of Fisher Meats. “Indiana has many programs, such as the Indiana Grown initiative, in which we participate, that support small businesses as well as the local agricultural community. After considering all of the options, it was clear that Indiana was the best place for us to continue to grow.”

“Indiana’s economy is growing as Hoosier businesses continue to expand and create even more quality jobs,” said Indiana Secretary of Commerce Jim Schellinger. “As a state that works, Indiana offers homegrown companies like Fisher Meats a pro-growth, affordable business climate and a skilled Hoosier workforce. Preserving the state’s infrastructure while investing in long-term improvements will be yet another benefit of doing business in Indiana, ensuring our job creators are able to reach customers across the state and around the country.”

As an incentive, The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Fisher Packing Company (dba Fisher Meats) up to $100,000 in conditional tax credits based on the company’s job creation plans. These incentives are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The town of Redkey and the city of Portland approved additional incentives at the request of the Jay County Development Corporation.