Holic Foods, an all-natural food manufacturer and distributor, announced plans to expand its operations in Indiana, establishing a new facility in Henry County and creating up to 42 new jobs by 2020.
“Holic Foods is one of the many small business success stories here in Indiana, utilizing one of the state’s many shared co-working and makerspaces to get its start and now growing to its own state-of-the-art, food manufacturing facility,” said Elaine Bedel, president of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). “To take Indiana’s economy to the next level, we will remain committed to strengthening the entrepreneurial climate that has helped launch companies like Holic Foods and equipping job creators with the tools they need to thrive in our state.”
The company, which specializes in clean label, healthy food products, will invest more than $2.1 million to revitalize a 30,000-square-foot, vacant factory at 710 Norfleet Drive in Middletown, establishing a food production center. The new building, which is scheduled to be operational in March, will be constructed to Safe Quality Food (SQF) Institute Level 2 certification standards, allowing Holic Foods to handle acidified and high-acid food products – the only facility of its kind in Indiana.
With the addition of this new facility, Holic Foods will make its own brand products, serve as a co-packing and private label packager for other clients and provide thought-to-market consulting for food entrepreneurs. The company, which currently has four team members, plans to begin hiring this year for a variety of positions, including administrators, production and facility workers, food science specialists and microbiologists. Interested applicants may email their resume or questions to careers@holicfoods.com.
“Holic Foods is joining a strong food movement in Indiana with great state and local support,” said Shari Nicholls, vice president of strategy and marketing of Holic Foods. “Along with producing our naturally addictive products, we want to help Hoosiers realize their dreams of becoming food entrepreneurs. If they have a great recipe or food they want to get in stores, we can help. We are paving the way for fellow food entrepreneurs to navigate the environment, as well as providing a partnership to produce their amazing products to share."
Founded in 2013 by Tonio and Frances Torres, Holic Foods was launched to keep up with increasing demand for its signature product, Jalapeñoholic, which is a spicy, jalapeño-based sauce. The company initially manufactured its products at Indy’s Kitchen, a food-focused co-working space used by locally owned, small businesses to expand food operations. Along with Jalapeñoholic, Holic Foods offers a wide range of dips and sauces made from quality, natural ingredients. The company sells its products across the nation, with many of its customers located in Indiana.
The IEDC offered Holic Foods up to $125,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $50,000 in training grants 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. Middletown approved additional incentives at the request of the New Castle-Henry County Economic Development Corporation.
"Middletown is delighted to welcome Holic Foods to our community and we look forward to growing together," said Jake Smith, president of the Middletown Town Council.
In 2017, Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced a record-breaking year for economic development in Indiana. Together, businesses like Holic Foods plan to create 30,158 Hoosier jobs and invest $7.04 billion in their Indiana operations – the highest annual commitment in IEDC history.
About Holic Foods
Holic Foods is a food manufacturer and distributor specializing in clean label, healthy food products. The company offers a wide range of dips and sauces, including its signature product Jalapeñoholic, and serves as a co-packer for a select group of clients across the United States. Holic Foods’ mission is to create “naturally addictive” products made from quality, natural ingredients.
About IEDC
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) leads the state of Indiana’s economic development efforts, helping businesses launch, grow and locate in the state. Governed by a 15-member board chaired by Governor Eric J. Holcomb, the IEDC manages many initiatives, including performance-based tax credits, workforce training grants, innovation and entrepreneurship resources, public infrastructure assistance, and talent attraction and retention efforts. For more information about the IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov.