The Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) and Governor Brian Sandoval announced Angie’s Artisan Treats/BOOMCHICKAPOP, one of the nation’s fastest growing brands of natural popcorn is opening a new manufacturing and distribution center in Reno, Nevada. The company is expected to add up to 160 jobs to the region over the next several years and will invest well over $1 million in capital expenditures with plans to ship their first products from Reno by mid-September 2015.
Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP® is a true entrepreneur’s story that started in a cold, Minnesota garage by Angie Bastian and her husband Dan. Their delicious kettle corn recipe soon turned into a BOOMING business that was sold at local events and even caught the eye of the Minnesota Vikings NFL football team. The rest of the nation soon caught on and the company quickly expanded its portfolio of non-GMO, gluten-free snacks, including new BOOMCHICKAPUFF baked ancient grain puffs. Constantly innovating, the company is committed to launching new snack offerings that are focused on the growing consumer market that seeks better-for-you products. In fact, Food Processing Magazine named BOOM a 2014 R&D Team of the Year.
Angie’s offers a competitive benefit package to all employees and strives to attract the best and the brightest to the company. “We invest in continuous improvement of our people and our facilities—there is always a better way and we want our team to help transform what we do, not only in the workplace, but in the communities around us”, says Jon Fieldman, Sr. VP of Operations.
“With the goal to significantly grow our business, we decided early this year to start looking at the opportunity to expand in California, Nevada or Utah,” said Fieldman. “In the end, we made the decision to move to Reno because of its business friendly attitude to help us establish ourselves here and business incentives received from the State.” The new facility is located on Sandhill Road in the South Meadows area of Reno. Candidates seeking to join Angie’s Artisan Treats/ BOOMCHICKAPOP will find job information at www.boomchickapop.com/Reno
“We are thrilled to welcome Angie’s to the Biggest Little City,” said Naomi Duerr, Reno City Council Member and representative of Ward 2, where the facility is located. “With its successful business dealings and its commitment to healthy and natural foods, Angie’s fits perfectly with the vision of the new Reno. Not only that, but I happen to love their popcorn!”
“It is exciting to be selected by Angie’s Artisan Treats/BOOMCHICKAPOP, as the place to be for their dramatic projected growth,” said Mike Kazmierski, CEO of EDAWN. “A great company with an amazing array of healthier snack products that choose our region for both manufacturing and distribution. I look forward to tasting all of their snack offerings,” he said.
Also in attendance at the press conference, held at the Eldorado Casino Hotel was Reno City Mayor, Hillary Schieve, Washoe County Commissioner, Bob Lucey, and from the University of Nevada Reno, Doug Knuth.
The company would like to acknowledge the following business partners for their invaluable service to help them establish their business in Nevada; Bryan Gardner-Reno Property Management, Dave Simonsen-NAI Alliance, Kyle Roberts-Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, Panattoni Development, Alston Construction, Ray Heating Products, Vasko Electric, Nevada Industry Excellence-Rhea Gustafson, Nevada Job Connect-John Parel, and Brad Mamer-Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development.
About EDAWN: The Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada is a private/ public partnership established in 1983 committed to recruiting, expanding and supporting newly forming quality companies that bring jobs to the region and have a positive impact on the quality of life in Greater Reno-Sparks-Tahoe. www.edawn.org