Ky. Gov. Steve Beshear announces Newly Wed Foods Inc. moves to N.Ky.

ERLANGER, Ky. - Chicago-based Newly Weds Foods announced Monday that it will open its 13th U.S. manufacturing plant in the Northern Kentucky city of Erlanger.

The plant will represent an investment of $57 million and employ 115 people once it’s fully operational, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear said at an event at NKU METS Center at which the latest economic development for the region was rolled out.

“This 115 jobs is not just a number,” Beshear said. “It is 115 Kentucky families who will be able to provide for their families and to put food on the table and send their kids to school and create a quality of life.”

The food ingredient manufacturing plant will operate from the CirclePort Business Park off the Interstate 275 Mineola Pike exit. The plant will make American-style bread crumbs, Japanese-style bread crumbs, known as panko, and cracker meals.

Mike Hopp, the company’s vice president of manufacturing, said Newly Weds Foods plans to open its first two production lines by the end of this year. Those will initially employ between 60 and 75 people. Hopp expects the plant will be fully operational in the first quarter of 2014, he said.

“We understand this area’s known for holding a strong work ethic and people who understand food manufacturing and its unique requirements,” Hopp said.

Northern Kentucky is home to nearly 20 food manufacturers and distributors, according to Northern Kentucky Tri-ED, the economic development agency for Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties.

Hopp said the Northern Kentucky site also was attractive to the company because there’s room for additional growth.

The company purchased a 326,000 square foot facility and could expand the plant by as much as another 90,000 square feet as needed, he said. That kind of expansion, which could be needed in as few as two or three years, would likely create another 35 jobs, Hopp said.The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority gave preliminary approval to the company for tax incentives of as much as $6 million. The company also was approved for a $500,000 sales and use tax refund.

Jobs at the Newly Weds Foods plant likely will pay between $17 and $20 per hour, Hopps said.

Newly Weds Foods Inc. is termed a leader in food ingredient technology for the food processing and foodservice industries. The independent, family-owned company engages in the research and development, and production of food coating ingredients for food processing and foodservice industries in the United States and internationally. The company has operations in 14 North American plants and 10 international production facilities, including China, Thailand, Australia, the United Kingdom, Holland and the Philippines.

People interested in applying for jobs at the new plant can go to newlywedsfoods.com .