A bakery subsidiary of Flowers Foods Inc., a leading producer and marketer of packaged bakery foods in the U.S., recently announced it will invest $52 million in a new facility in Bardstown, Ky., creating 145 new, full-time jobs with an average annual wage of approximately $39,000, within two years of project completion.

Flowers Foods currently operates 36 highly-efficient bakeries that produce breads, buns, rolls, snack cakes and pastries, which are distributed to foodservice and retail customers in the southeastern, southwestern and mid-Atlantic states.

Flowers’ brands include Nature’s Own and Cobblestone Mill soft variety and specialty breads; Sunbeam, Bunny, Mary Jane, and other white bread brands; and Blue Bird and Mrs. Freshley’s snack cakes and pastries

"Demand for our baked foods continues to grow as we expand our geographic territory and gain greater share within our existing, core markets," said George E. Deese, chairman, chief executive officer, and president of Flowers Foods. "Bardstown is strategically located at the northern part of our current market territory for our fresh baked foods and this bakery will help serve new markets as we expand northward. We appreciate the support we’ve received for this project from the Kentucky Economic Development Cabinet, the Nelson County Economic Development Agency, the Nelson County Fiscal Court and the city of Bardstown."

Flowers Foods has reached a tentative agreement to purchase 30 acres in the newly constructed Nelson County Industrial Park, with an option to buy an additional 24 acres later. The company will build a 200,000 square-foot bakery that will house high-volume bread and bun production lines. The bread line is expected to be operational by fall 2008. A bun line will be added later.

The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority preliminarily approved Flowers Foods for tax benefits up to $2 million under the Kentucky Industrial Development Act, an incentive program designed to attract and expand manufacturing operations in the state

The project was also preliminarily approved for up to $400,000 in benefits under the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act, which allows approved companies investing $500,000 or more in Kentucky to recoup Kentucky sales and use tax on the cost of construction materials, building fixtures and equipment used for research and development.

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