By Cynthia Fugate, Times staff reporter
Funyuns onion flavored rings have become popular since Frito-Lay introduced its "flamin' hot" variety. Frito-Lay East Manager Mary Peterson said they could soon be made here in Frankfort.
"Funyuns have been around for decades and has been growing very slowly but steadily," Peterson said. "They've started a hot flavor line that has put it out of capacity."
The Frankfort East facility is in competition with the Beloit, Wisc., facility for the Funyuns line. In hopes of luring the product line here, Peterson asked the Clinton County Council for a tax abatement.
"If we win this line from Beloit, we will put in $7.9 million worth of capacity with enough build to increase the capacity," Peterson said.
She said Beloit recently went through a "re-crewing" and are "pretty ferociously trying to get some pounds back to offset a lot of their indirect depreciation costs."
"We are asking for an abatement so that we make ourselves a little more attractive than Beloit," Peterson said.
The county council approved an eight-year tax abatement.
"I think we should be quite thrilled to see Frito moving forward and thinking enough of this community to grow here as well," Councilman Jim Davis said.
Currently, Frito-Lay East has just over 1,400 employees and Peterson said the company plans to hire 15-18 additional people if awarded the product line.
"Right now they are leaning toward Frankfort, but the final decision has not been made," she said.
Peterson hinted the company may be adding other production lines, but said nothing is certain.
"There are other things that might be coming in front of you," she told the county council Tuesday. "There is some talk of adding more lines at East in the next five years, but none of them have been identified yet except for the Funyuns line."
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