Graeter's has announced plans to build a new 28,000-square-foot ice cream production facility in Bond Hill that will allow the company to add 30 new jobs and to expand its reach nationally.
Construction is targeted to begin next month on the new $11 million project on five acres at the corner of Paddock Road and 66th Street, city-owned land that formerly housed the Longview Hospital and the Mill Creek Psychiatric Center.
Graeter's will move its corporate offices from Reading Road to the new building, and tentative plans include a visitor center where citizens can watch ice cream being made and packaged.
The production facility will have a larger freezer, loading dock, and blend room, allowing the company to quadruple its ice cream output to 1 million gallons annually.
"Our goal is to increase distribution of our ice cream into new markets," says president and CEO Richard Graeter. "This expansion means that we need additional capacity here in Cincinnati."
In addition to the acreage, the City of Cincinnati has offered a 20-year, $10 million loan as part of the $3.3 million job creation incentive package.
In return, Graeter's will commit to staying in the city for the next 20 years and will refrain from seeking additional city assistance.
City council still must approve the incentive package, but, if the project stays on schedule, production could begin in January 2010.
"As Graeter's plans for growth, the City is pleased to support them in taking their hometown brand national," says City Manager Milton Dohoney Jr. "After all, their high standards for quality and excellence are exactly what Cincinnati should be known for across the country."
Some offices will be maintained at Graeter's current facility, which will continue to produce candy and baked goods.
Writer:
Kevin LeMasterSource: City of Cincinnati Economic Development Division
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