Litehouse plans $6.2M expansion
—Courtesy photo Litehouse Foods and Bonner County officials gathered for a photo after county commissioners approved a tax incentive, allowing the company to move forward with a $6.2 million expansion of its Ella Avenue facility. Pictured, from left, are Brent Carr, senior vice president of sales and marketing, Litehouse; Cary Kelly, Bonner County commissioner; Jim Frank, president & CEO, Litehouse; Glenn Bailey, Bonner County commissioner; Dan Hoffman, senior vice president of operations, Litehouse; Todd Sudick, Bonner County commissioner; and Ben VanGerpen, director of operations,…
SANDPOINT — Litehouse, Inc. announced plans Tuesday to break ground on a $6.2 million expansion of its Ella facility, entering into an agreement with Bonner County to receive a tax incentive for the expansion. The Ella facility, where dressings, veggie dips and fruit dips are manufactured, is the largest of Litehouse’s three Sandpoint production facilities.
Litehouse’s multi-million dollar investment in the Ella property includes a new cooler, shipping and receiving area, loading docks and a wastewater treatment facility. Construction is expected to break ground in December of this year with completion in June 2017. The expansion of Litehouse’s oldest dressing facility illustrates the commitment to the Sandpoint community and Bonner County, Litehouse officials said. The 100 percent employee-owned company has been based in the Sandpoint area since 1963 when the Hawkins family began bottling and selling dressing from the Litehouse restaurant in Hope. It currently has 850 employees, of which over 350 work in Sandpoint.
Litehouse has also entered into an agreement with Bonner County deferring additional tax obligation on a portion of the investment dollars in the building and structural components, over a five-year period.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support of Bonner County and its commitment to Litehouse as we continue to grow and provide more jobs for our community,” said Jim Frank, Litehouse president and CEO. “Our employee-owners value living and working in this remarkable area and we are all dedicated to continued success, economic growth and future opportunity in our greater Sandpoint community.”
The agreement was approved Tuesday during the Bonner County commissioners meeting and signed in the afternoon by Litehouse President & CEO Jim Frank at corporate headquarters. Visiting dignitaries in attendance for the signing included Bonner County Commission Chairman Cary Kelly, commissioners Glen Bailey and Todd Sudick and deputy civil prosecutor, Bill Wilson.
Since its start in the Hawkins family’s Hope restaurant over 50 years ago, Litehouse Foods has become a leader in refrigerated salad dressings, fruit and veggie dips, sauces, Instantly Fresh herbs, blue cheese, and pressed apple cider, manufacturing these products at its three U.S. facilities based in Michigan, Utah and Idaho.
Information: LitehouseFoods.com