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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Australia-Based Kitchen Food Plans Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Manufacturing Operations

12/29/2024
Australian-based Kitchen Food Co., a premium ready-meals business, plans to establish manufacturing operations in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The $69 million project is expected to create 925 jobs.

The investment will include the construction of a new 100,000-square-foot prepared foods facility located at the Hopkinsville Commerce Park. Operations are scheduled for the summer of 2026.

“What began as a passion for sharing healthy fresh meals with our local community in Sydney, Australia, has now brought us to Hopkinsville, Kentucky, our new home base in the U.S.,” said Kitchen Food Co. co-founder and CEO Christian Avramides. “We have chosen Hopkinsville due to the proactive support and dedication of the local community leadership, coupled with the quality produce, excellent workforce and central location. We are honored to join forces with the wonderful people of Kentucky as we start this new chapter, bringing flavorful, nutritious and affordable meal options to American families, made fresh daily in Kentucky.”

To encourage investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority preliminarily approved an incentive agreement with the company under the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based agreement can provide tax incentives based on the company’s investment and annual targets of creation and maintenance of 925 Kentucky-resident, full-time jobs across 15 years; and paying an average hourly wage of $29 including benefits across those jobs.

“Today’s announcement is a great reminder that Kentucky’s economic momentum is not only here to stay, but that the commonwealth is open and ready for companies from all over the world to establish their New Kentucky Home,” noted Governor Andy Beshear.

KEDFA approved Kitchen Food Company for additional incentives through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act . KEIA allows approved companies to recoup Kentucky sales and use tax on construction costs, building fixtures, equipment used in research and development and electronic processing. In addition, Kitchen Food Company can receive resources from Kentucky’s workforce service providers.

“We are excited to welcome Kitchen Food Co. to southwestern Kentucky as they are set to purchase our 100,000-square-foot shell building in Hopkinsville’s Commerce Park for their first U.S. based facility,” added Carter Hendricks, executive director of the Southwestern Kentucky Economic Development Council. “Their investment will mark the region’s first Australian and twenty fourth international company. With their company leadership and strong performance combined with our region’s agricultural assets, workforce and distribution advantages, we are confident the company will succeed and grow in our less taxing, more relaxing region.”

Kitchen Food Co. provides nutritious, convenient and affordable ready meals to the Australian market.

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