Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced continued investment in Kentucky’s food and beverage industry with Bakery Express MidWest, a commercial bakery manufacturing company that supplies its customers with fresh baked goods. The $10 million facility in Boone County will create over 175 full-time jobs in the area.
“Kentucky’s economy continues to gain momentum, and our state’s food and beverage sector is a crucial part of that growth,” said Gov. Beshear. “This new location in Boone County from Bakery Express MidWest will not only allow the company to take its business to the next level, but will also create quality job opportunities in the Northern Kentucky area. I want to thank the company’s leadership for their commitment to the commonwealth, and I look forward to seeing their success and growth in the future.”
The company is opening a 35,000-square-foot facility in Northern Kentucky that will service Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Tennessee with production of fresh baked goods. The construction is expected to begin in late 2023 with completion by December 2024.
“I’m delighted to announce that our team will be expanding our fresh bakery operations to a new location in Boone County, Kentucky,” said Bakery Express MidWest President Charles L. Burman. “I would also like to take this opportunity to express my thanks and appreciation for the support of both Boone County and the Commonwealth of Kentucky for including Bakery Express in the Kentucky Business Investment program. Bakery Express is a 73-year-old group that currently operates bakeries in Maryland, Florida and Texas. The expansion into Kentucky will allow us to provide fresh bakery products to retail outlets throughout the Midwest.”
Founded in 1970, in Halethorpe, Maryland, Bakery Express Mid Atlantic Inc. was the first of many companies to be founded by Charles Burman. Bakery Express of Central Florida, Bakery Express of Central Texas, Bakery Express of Southern California and now Bakery Express MidWest have all been formed to provide fresh bakery products to over 4,000 retail outlets across the United States. Bakery Express companies currently employ 620 people, and the company’s fresh daily product line consists of a wide variety of items including donuts, muffins, cookies, brownies, croissants, bagels, pastries, cupcakes and other specialty items.
This project adds to Kentucky’s growing food and beverage sector, which administration-to-date has seen over 170 private-sector new-location and expansion projects that are expected to create more than 5,800 full-time jobs with nearly $4.8 billion in new investments. The Boone County location also adds to the commonwealth’s thriving manufacturing industry, which includes more than 5,000 facilities and employs over 250,000 people statewide.
Boone County Judge/Executive Gary Moore welcomed Bakery Express MidWest to Northern Kentucky: “With our improved infrastructure and central geographic location, Northern Kentucky is ideal for Bakery Express MidWest, a growing food manufacturer, to serve its customers in the Midwest. We are thrilled to welcome its newest location with a $10 million investment and over 175 new jobs in Boone County.”
BE NKY Growth Partnership CEO Lee Crume noted the Northern Kentucky region boasts a thriving food and flavoring industry with more than 30 companies, in addition to nationally recognized distilleries and craft breweries in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties.
“With strong business, food science, supply chain and operations programs at universities in the Cincinnati region, as well as manufacturing training programs at Gateway Community & Technical College, Bakery Express MidWest will be able to draw on a talented workforce as it builds its new manufacturing center in Northern Kentucky,” said Crume. “We celebrate their investment and first facility in the Midwest.”
Bakery Express MidWest’s investment and planned job creation furthers recent economic momentum in the commonwealth, as the state builds back stronger from the effects of the pandemic.