Frozen-food firm plans to add 350 jobs at New Albany plant by 2012

The IBJ

New Albany-based Kemper Foods International LLC announced Tuesday morning that it will expand its food-production center in southeast Indiana, creating more than 350 new jobs by 2012.

Kemper, which makes frozen foods for restaurants and retailers, said it will invest more than $6.8 million in equipment and building improvements, more than doubling the size of the company's 24,000-square-foot food-production facility in New Albany's Park East Industrial Park.

New hires will include production associates, supervisors and clerical staff.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. offered Kemper Foods up to $1.1 million in performance-based tax credits and up to $145,000 in training grants based on the company's job-creation plans.  New Albany will consider property-tax abatement and incentives at the request of One Southern Indiana, the regional economic development group for Clark and Floyd counties.

Kemper Foods was founded in 2008 New Albany entrepreneur Michael V. Kemper, who partnered with food-production tycoon Jeno F. Paulucci, the brains behind famous frozen food brands Michelina's, Jeno's Pizza Rolls and Chun King.

The company joins a growing list of food and beverage production businesses with facilities in Indiana, including Edy's Ice Cream, Clabber Girl and Really Cool Foods, The IEDC said it has worked with more than 30 food-production businesses over the past four years to bring more than 3,200 jobs to the state.