Vitality Works, a four-decades-old family business, has been awarded state economic assistance to add jobs and expand its West Side campus in Albuquerque, the New Mexico Economic Development Department (EDD) announced.
Founded by Mitch Coven in 1982, Vitality Works manufactures and labels wellness and health supplements. With more than 2,500 ingredients, its herbal and nutraceutical products are customized for private-label distribution. Their products are GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) and kosher certified and meet all FDA inspection guidelines. Vitality Works sources certified organic herbs and other ingredients from farms in Abiquiú and Tesuque Pueblo as well as plants from worldwide origins.
EDD Secretary-Designate Rob Black said the State of New Mexico’s Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) closing fund has pledged $500,000 to Vitality Works with dollars distributed as the company meets construction and hiring benchmarks. The City of Albuquerque has pledged an additional $100,000 from its municipal LEDA fund to assist with company expansion.
"We are investing in local businesses that are growing in Albuquerque because their success means more jobs and opportunities for Albuquerque families,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “This expansion strengthens our local economy and shows our commitment to keeping businesses in New Mexico."
“We are excited to support the ongoing expansion of Vitality Works, a local New Mexico success story, creating jobs and bringing vitality not only to our economy but to our health,” EDD Secretary-Designate Rob Black said. “Vitality Works’ strong partnerships with local farmers is a win-win for our rural and urban communities.”
The state and local LEDA assistance will be used to build a 35,000-square-foot warehouse for expanded production on its 22-acre property at 8500 Bluewater Rd. NW, Albuquerque 87121. In 2018, Vitality Works was awarded $550,000 in LEDA for a 35,000-square-foot expansion. That state assistance returned $5.9 million over five years in direct tax benefits to the city, county, and state. The business has also utilized workforce-training reimbursement grants from EDD’s Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP) and generated more than $89 million in economic impact.
“LEDA, JTIP, and other state incentives have been integral to our operations and the growth of Vitality Works in New Mexico,” Jon Priest, chief operating officer, said. “This new investment will allow us to open up space to purchase additional equipment and reconfigure our production space. This will boost our capacity as we see more and more demand.”
The company has 306 employees and expects to hire 18 additional employees in the next five years as construction on the expansion is completed.