A Seattle-based food manufacturing and services company is opening up shop in Arizona.
SK Food Group, Inc., plans to open a new 212,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in the City of Tolleson, according to a news release sent Wednesday from the governor's office.
Michelle Kauk, Vice President of Communications & Public Affairs at the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, said in an email that the site is currently under construction on the southwest corner of 75th Avenue and Lincoln. The new facility is expected to create 550 jobs.
"We are very excited to be locating our next facility in the greater Phoenix area," SK Food Group President and CEO Steve Sposari said. "The emerging consumer and industry trends driving our growth are significant, and this new facility will help us to continue with our steady growth. The logistics infrastructure and access to available labor made the decision relatively easy for our management team to invest in the area."
According to the company's website, Oven Pride Kitchen line, which includes sandwiches and burgers, can be found in the national and international marketplace.
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton praised Sposari, saying that the company is known for helping "opportunity youth"-- people ages 16-24 who are not in school or working.
"SK Food Group should be commended for their focus on helping opportunity youth and for giving young people a leg up and a chance to succeed," Stanton said. "This is exactly the type of company we want in our region because they came in the door asking how they could best show their commitment to our community."
The Tolleson site will be SK Food Group's fifth location, including two in Canada.
