Grillo’s Pickles has opened a new production facility in Bartholomew County. Photo: holgersfotografie/Pixabay
(Taylorsville, IN) – Grillo’s Pickles has officially opened a $54 million Indiana production facility designed to help the fast-growing brand put more pickles on store shelves across the country.
By the numbers
$54 million invested in the new plant
155,000 square feet of production space
150 workers expected at full employment
$25.57 an hour projected average wage
Company officials celebrated the opening Monday at the 155,000-square-foot plant at 10990 Hubler Drive in Taylorsville, near Indiana Premium Outlets and the Interstate 65 interchange at Edinburgh.
The facility is expected to employ as many as 150 people. The Greater Columbus Economic Development Corporation previously said the jobs would pay an average of $25.57 an hour.
The Indiana plant gives Grillo’s a central location to serve its growing national customer base.
From a pickle cart to a national brand
Grillo’s CEO Adam Kaufman said the plant represents another major step for a company that began in 2008 with founder Travis Grillo selling pickles from a wooden cart on Boston Common.
The company has since become one of the nation’s largest refrigerated pickle brands, with products sold by major retailers across the country.
The Taylorsville plant will produce, package and label Grillo’s refrigerated pickles and related products. The added capacity is intended to meet current demand while allowing the company to continue expanding.
Several production lines have already been installed. Additional lines are expected to be added during the next 12 to 18 months, potentially creating more jobs as the operation grows.
Made cold, shipped cold, sold cold
Grillo’s uses a cold-pickling process and does not add artificial preservatives. As a result, its products must remain refrigerated throughout production, transportation and retail storage.
The company sells pickle spears, chips and whole pickles, along with its Pickle de Gallo product.
Kaufman said Indiana’s skilled workforce and the welcome Grillo’s received from Bartholomew County helped make Taylorsville an attractive location.
He said the company intends to become an active member of the community rather than simply operate a manufacturing plant there.
Now hiring
Grillo’s continues to hire for production, warehouse, maintenance and administrative positions at the Taylorsville facility.
Public support for the project
Bartholomew County approved a 10-year property-tax phase-in expected to save Grillo’s approximately $1.2 million.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation also committed up to $1.4 million in performance-based tax credits. The company may claim those credits only after it creates the promised Indiana jobs and meets its investment commitments.
County officials pledged up to $3.75 million for water, sewer and road improvements serving the development area.
Regional officials also approved up to $1 million in Indiana READI 2.0 funding for improvements near U.S. 31 and Bear Lane and an extension of County Road 700 North.
Nearly $230 million in development
The pickle plant is part of a larger Taylorsville development planned by Grillo’s parent company, Irresistible Foods Group.
The company also owns King’s Hawaiian, which has announced plans for a roughly $175 million production facility nearby.
Together, the two projects represent nearly $230 million in announced investment in northern Bartholomew County.
Construction on the King’s Hawaiian facility had not yet begun at the time of the Grillo’s opening.
A bigger dill for Indiana
The Taylorsville plant gives Grillo’s a Midwestern manufacturing base and room to keep growing.
