Hans Kissle Company, a fresh foods manufacturer, will establish a manufacturing facility at Apple Creek Corporate Center in Gaston County, North Carolina. The $42.2 million project is expected to create 219 jobs.

The expansion will increase production and distribution capacity for its food items and add approximately 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space.

“We are excited to be able to expand production to meet the growing demand for our premium products from consumers and retail partners in the Southeast,” said Scott Moffitt, CEO of Hans Kissle Company. “Gastonia is a thriving community with a talented workforce, and we are proud to put down roots and call it home for our new facility. We look forward to bringing great jobs to the community and being a positive contributor in many ways.”

Hans Kissle’s project will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Over the course of the 12-year term of this grant, the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by $599 million.

Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $2,156,400 spread over 12 years. State payments only occur following performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant’s reimbursement payments to a given company.

“North Carolina’s agricultural and manufacturing legacy continues to attract growing companies to counties like Gaston,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “Our skilled workforce and great quality of life are key ingredients for our thriving manufacturing industry.”

Because Hans Kissle is located in Gaston County, classified by the state’s economic tier system as Tier 2, the company’s JDIG agreement also calls for moving $239,600 into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities across the state finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business.

“It’s no secret that North Carolina is the special ingredient for growing food companies,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “With the largest manufacturing workforce in the Southeast and the third largest state in the nation for food and beverage processing, Hans Kissle’s decision is a strong signal to other food companies that North Carolina is a great place to do business.”

The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) would like to recognize the N.C. Department of Commerce as well as other principal partners involved in this project, including the N.C. General Assembly, the N.C. Department of Agriculture, the N.C. Community College System, the N.C. Food Innovation Lab, Gaston County and the Gaston County Economic Development Commission, among other state and local partners.

Hans Kissle manufactures a wide variety of high quality fresh prepared foods for supermarkets and foodservice customers throughout the United States.