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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

AgriAmerica Fruit Products Expands Chautauqua County, New York, Operations

04/22/2025
AgriAmerica Fruit Products, formed by AgriAmerica LLC, a commercial grape farming entity, plans to expand its operations in Chautauqua County, New York. The $2.5 million project is expected to create five jobs.

The investment will include the revitalization and upgrade of a 69,000-square-foot grape juice processing facility located at 200 Water Street in Fredonia.

“My business partner Richard Jozwiak and I shared a vision for the future of the old vacant factory in Fredonia,” said AgriAmerica Fruit Products, LLC, Founding Partner and Managing Member Eric Huddy. “Here in rural western New York State, the grape industry is absolutely critical. Based on this understanding, AgriAmerica’s Fredonia Grape Juice Factory Revitalization Project received overwhelming support not only from the Village of Fredonia and County of Chautauqua but also throughout the New York’s Lake Erie and Finger Lake grape growing regions, which included numerous towns and counties that had vineyard operators who stood to benefit from this project. We are truly grateful for the awesome level of support we received for this project from the community, the farmers and government at the local, county and state level. The completion of this project will greatly assist AAFP toward remaining as a competitive manufacturer of nearly 2-million gallons of grape juice annually.”

To support the project the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council (WNYREDC), through Empire State Development (ESD), provided a $498,600 capital grant through Round 8 of the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative.

“This expansion of a Western New York grape processor is a great example of the positive results we can achieve through strategic state investment,” noted Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight. “By leveraging existing resources, we can support the growth of local companies like AgriAmerica. I am very pleased ESD could help ensure such an important food manufacturer expand and support area farmers in Chautauqua County.”

AgriAmerica Fruit Products, serves the Lake Erie Fruit Cooperative, a farmer-owned cooperative with nearly 100 family farm members who are contracted to locally grow more than 10,000 tons of grapes annually.

“I am glad the CCIDA had the opportunity to work with Mr. Huddy and his team at Agri-America, along with the State, provide financial incentives to bring the Fredonia-based facility back to life thereby creating good paying jobs and supporting the Concord grape farmers in the region,” added County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency CEO Mark Geise.

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