State assists House of Flavors with expansion, 30 jobs to be created. 

State assists House of Flavors with expansion, 30 jobs to be created. 

LUDINGTON — House of Flavors manufacturing is expanding in Ludington with support from the Michigan Strategic Fund, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced today. The expansion is expected to create 30 jobs.

“House of Flavors plays a vital role in Michigan’s agriculture market, providing jobs and supporting local agriculture businesses,” said Jeff Mason CEO of MEDC, the state’s chief marketing and business attraction arm that administers programs and performs due diligence on behalf of the MSF.

“We’re pleased to support this longstanding Michigan company as it expands in Ludington and continues to elevate the profile and profitability of our state’s dairy industry,” Mason said.

House of Flavors, Inc. has been a popular landmark in downtown Ludington for nearly a century. Since starting in the early 1900s as a full-service dairy operation, the company has evolved into one of the largest private label packaged ice cream and frozen dessert manufacturers in the country and the largest in the state of Michigan.

The company has invested $30 million in its manufacturing facility to keep up with customer demand, product trends and neighborhood changes; however, new pollution laws have been put in place and the company needs to contribute $1.5 million toward an upgrade to the city’s wastewater treatment plant in order to continue to operate at its current capacity. In addition to partnering with the city, the company is also investing significant capital to keep up with customer demands. These projects are expected to create 30 jobs. As a result, the company has been awarded a $240,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant.

“We’re thankful for the support and encouragement from MEDC, MDARD, MCGA and the local community. Investment decisions often come down to an either-or choice, saying yes to one investment may mean saying no to another,” said House of Flavors President Whit Gallagher. “With this outpouring of support, we can continue to make investments that grow our capabilities to meet new value added customer opportunities while at the same time contribute to upgrades to the city’s waste water treatment plant that have a direct impact on the environment. Ludington is a great place to make ice cream and we can’t think of a better place to grow our business.”

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is supporting the project with a $100,000 Food and Agriculture Investment Program performance-based grant. This grant will help House of Flavors make critical upgrades in equipment, which will expand production capacity and meet consumer demand. HOF’s plan is to remove a single-serve hardening system and replace it with a spiral hardening system that can handle a variety of packages that are in greater demand by consumers.

“This is the first project to move forward through our new Food and Agriculture Investment Fund, and it’s the perfect example of why this fund was created,” said MDARD Director Jamie Clover Adams. “House of Flavors is a significant employer in that area, and this project will not only help them keep up with industry trends and maintain those jobs, but also bring in new customers and create even more full-time employment opportunities for residents. I’m very proud of the work MDARD’s Agriculture Development team did on this project, and we’re looking forward to supporting more projects like this.”

Mason County Growth Alliance has offered staff time and resources in support of the project. For information on careers with House of Flavors, visit http://www.houseofflavors.com/in-use-careers/.

“House of Flavors plays a significant role in the Ludington area,” said Spence Riggs, executive director with the Mason County Growth Alliance. “Not only are they one of the area’s largest employers, but they are also an active participant in many community development initiatives, not to mention the countless tourist they draw to the community every year. The Growth Alliance is happy to support the continued success of House of Flavors in Ludington.”

According to MDARD and the United Dairy Industry of Michigan, Michigan ranked sixth in milk production in the U.S. in 2016. Dairy cows in Michigan produced 10.9 billion pounds of milk. Michigan’s nearly 1,700 dairy farms, with more than 427,000 cows, produce more than enough milk to supply the entire state. Surplus milk is exported to help meet demand in other states.