Jeffersonville – Enjoy Life Foods, a manufacturer of gluten-free and allergy-friendly foods, announced that it has relocated its production and distribution operations from Schiller Park, Illinois, to Jeffersonville, and plans to create a total of 200 new jobs in Indiana by the end of 2017. The company officially opened its new production and distribution facility at the River Ridge Commerce Center today.
“Indiana’s low-cost, low-tax business climate continues to attract companies from around the country and the world,†said Governor Mike Pence. “Today’s news is yet another example of a company moving from Illinois to Indiana to take advantage of Indiana’s central location and skilled workforce. As the best state in the Midwest for business, we will continue to create an environment that allows companies like Enjoy Life Foods to reap the benefits from doing business in a state that works.â€
The company is investing a total of more than $39 million to lease and equip a 200,000-square-foot production and distribution facility at 310 Salem Road in Jeffersonville, which will allow the company to more than double its production footprint from its previous Illinois facility. Enjoy Life Foods began construction in January, where it installed equipment for three production lines that are currently operational, with additional facility upgrades planned over the next 18 months. This facility will be North America’s largest dedicated allergy-friendly bakery.
“This is a historic milestone for our company and for the allergy-friendly community as a whole,” said Joel Warady, chief marketing and innovation officer at Enjoy Life Foods. “With our new bakery, we have the opportunity to provide our many loyal fans with delicious free-from products they have come to know and love. Having the largest dedicated allergy-friendly bakery in North America also allows us to further grow our operations to provide even more great-tasting products to families across the U.S. and Canada, while expanding our reach to people seeking allergy-friendly food options around the world. We’re excited to establish our manufacturing footprint in the state of Indiana, the Crossroads of America, and to welcoming new employees to our ever-growing Enjoy Life Family.”
Founded in 2001 by Scott Mandell based on a business plan he created as a student at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, Enjoy Life Foods offers 46 different allergy-friendly products such as cookies, chewy bars, seed and fruit mixes and baking mixes. The company currently employs 150 individuals nationwide and has already hired 100 employees as part of its growth plans in Jeffersonville. The company is currently looking to hire product machine operators, distribution associates and management professionals for its Jeffersonville facility. Interested applicants can apply by logging onto  http://www.awesomefoodjob.com/.
More than 50 Illinois-based companies have worked with the IEDC since its creation in 2005 to relocate their operations to Indiana, together pledging to create more than 5,000 new Hoosier jobs. Last year, Hoist Liftruck moved from Bedford Park, Illinois, to East Chicago, Indiana, with plans to create 500 Hoosier jobs. And in June AMKUS Rescue Systems announced that its relocation from Downers Grove, Illinois to Valparaiso, Indiana, will create 20 new Hoosier jobs.
“We are proud to welcome Enjoy Life Foods to Jeffersonville,” said Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore. “Another great company is putting roots down in our community — the success story continues.”
Enjoy Life Foods is the third agribusiness just this week to announce that it is expanding or locating its operations in Indiana. Pretzels Inc., a pretzel and snack producer, announced on Tuesday that it is investing $15 million to open a new facility in Plymouth, Indiana, creating up to 65 new jobs, while Monogram Foods, a manufacturer and marketer of meat snacks, announced on Wednesday that it is investing $5.3 million to launch a new mini corn dog production line in Bristol, Indiana, creating up to 74 new jobs.
“Indiana continues to be a preferred destination for food and agriculture, and we are seeing more and more agribusinesses expanding or relocating here,†said Ted McKinney, Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. “As a global food producer, Enjoy Life Foods’ announcement builds on this momentum and will further strengthen the industry, as well as the Hoosier economy. We are thrilled to welcome Enjoy Life Foods to Indiana.â€
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Enjoy Life Foods up to $800,000 in conditional tax credits based on the company’s job creation plans. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The company also secured additional incentives through River Ridge Commerce Center’s Urban Enterprise Zone with the assistance of One Southern Indiana.
