The renowned frozen vegetable producer Birds Eye Foods is expanding operations at its Beaver Dam facility, creating around 140 new full-time jobs over the next five years.
The expansion calls for a $78 million investment to modernize and expand the current 350,000-square-foot cold storage and vegetable packaging facility. Birds Eye has almost 800 employees in Wisconsin between its Beaver Dam and Darien plants.
Owned by Conagra Brands, a leading North American branded food company, Birds Eye was founded in the early 1900s by Clarence Birdseye, who developed a patented way to flash freeze vegetables.
WEDC has authorized up to $750,000 in state income tax credits over the next five years to support the expansion. Conagra Brands must first create the jobs and make the capital investment before receiving the credits, with the actual amount awarded contingent on the number of jobs created and the total capital investment during that period.
“I applaud the company for continuing to invest and grow in our state,” said Mark R. Hogan, secretary and CEO of WEDC. “As a company with facilities all over the country, Birds Eye was looking at other options for this expansion. Its decision to expand in Wisconsin is a testament to the state’s strong business climate and outstanding workforce.”
In addition to the 140 jobs the company expects to add, an economic modeling study estimates the project could indirectly create 84 additional jobs in the region. Those 224 jobs could generate more than $360,000 annually in state income tax revenue. The expansion itself could create up to 277 direct jobs during the life of the project.
“Birds Eye Foods is a company with a long history in Wisconsin, and their decision to expand in Beaver Dam is another example of the strength and diversity of our region’s economy,” added Paul Jadin, president of the Madison Region Economic Partnership.