Apio invests $22.5m to expand operations

Apio, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Landec Corporation and a leading national producer of fresh-cut vegetable products for the United States and Canada under the Eat Smart® and GreenLine® brands, is making a $22.5 million investment in its Hanover, Pa., operations to help the company meet demand for its growing portfolio of value-added vegetable products. The expansion will more than triple the size of the facility increasing it to 64,000 square feet and will add up to 200 jobs over the next three years. Production lines will increase from two to 10. Construction of the first phase is anticipated to be completed in December 2015.

“North American shoppers are responding to our on-trend product portfolio, which includes Eat Smart Gourmet Vegetable Superfood Salad Kits like Eat Smart Sweet Kale Salad, Wild Greens and Quinoa Salad, and Beets and Greens Salad,” said Anne Byerly, vice president of marketing, Apio. “The expansion of Hanover will allow us to grow our Eat Smart and GreenLine brands particularly in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest.”

State and County Tax Incentives
The expansion was made possible with the approval of a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) agreement approved by county, township and school board bodies.

“Solidifying Apio’s presence and long-term investment in York County is a win for the region,” said Darrell W. Auterson, president and CEO, York County Economic Alliance. “We welcome Apio’s expansion and the jobs they are bringing here.”

The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development offered a funding proposal including Job Creation Tax Credits, a Pennsylvania First Program grant and a WEDnetPA training grant valued at more than $1.1 million over the next three years.

Please visit www.apioinc.com for more information.