In about 12 months, we’ll have a new warehouse and a year after that we’ll have another production lines. March 2025 is when we’re looking at full completion of everything.
Rich Products announced earlier this year that it planned to spend more than $116.5 million to expand its food manufacturing and distribution facility in Brownsville.
On Wednesday, the company signed an agreement with the city of Brownsville granting a 10-year tax break to Rich Products, a multinational company that began operations at its current Brownsville location (3555 E. 14th St.) in 1993, to assist the company in adding 159,000 square feet to its current 120,000-square-foot space.
The city partnered with the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation on the agreement.
The investment by Rich Products will create 58 new full-time jobs in production and warehousing, according to John Cowen Jr., GBIC chairman and city commissioner At-Large “A,” who spoke during the signing ceremony in city commission chambers.
“That increase will move their total amount of employees to 450, which is a very substantial operation here in Brownsville,” he said. “They are committing in good faith to use local suppliers when possible. I can’t express enough how excited we are about this project.”
Cowen said Chapter 380 of the Texas Local Government authorizes cities to offer incentives to local businesses in order to promote economic development. The agreement signed Wednesday authorizes the city to grant rebates to Rich Products on a portion of the increase in property taxes generated by the expansion for a period of 10 years, from 2025 through 2034.
The company, headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y., and with nearly 30 manufacturing plants around the country, produces a variety of frozen foods under the Farm Rich Appetizers and SeaPak at the Brownsville location.
Plant Manager Eddie De La Rosa said in February that the Brownsville plant distributes all over the United States to major food retailers including H-E-B, Kroger and Walmart, with the Eastern Seaboard serving as a major market.
He said the first phase of the expansion will be a frozen storage warehouse that should be finished in about a year.
“After that we’ll start the production line and that’ll take about another year or so,” he said. “In about 12 months, we’ll have a new warehouse and a year after that we’ll have another production lines. March 2025 is when we’re looking at full completion of everything.”
On Wednesday following the signing ceremony, De Las Rosa said the project would have been difficult to execute without the help of the city and GBIC.
“It’s a great day for our company and a great day for Brownsville as well,” he said. “As a company we have several plants all over the U.S., so it’s never predetermined where we’re going to expand, so we take a look at different areas, then we decide which area is more lucrative based on just workforce and based on dealings with the city. This relationship with the city has been very beneficial.”
The Brownsville plant is hiring in Brownsville, with more than 30 jobs available in production, warehousing and quality assurance, he said.
To apply, go to careers.rich.com.
District 1 City Commissioner Nurith Galonsky, whose district includes the plant and who acted as mayor pro tem for the signing, said the partnership between the city and GBIC to help businesses like Rich Products achieve their goals makes for a more prosperous Brownsville, adding that the company’s planned investment is the largest in the city’s recent history.
“It gives me great pride to know that such a large investment is happening in our own city, in our own backyard,” she said. “On behalf of the city and GBIC I just want to thank you for doing what you’re doing. I wish you continued success. Anything that we can continue to do to support you, you can count on us.”
A separate signing ceremony between Rich Products and GBIC was to take place soon.
On Feb. 7, the city commission approved a resolution nominating the company for Enterprise Zone Project (EZP) designation under the Texas Enterprise Zone Act, a state sales-tax and use-tax refund program meant to encourage private investment and job creation in economically distressed parts of the state.
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