Food Processor Coming to Hart County, Bringing 120 Jobs

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

A new food processing plant is coming to Hart County and bringing more than a hundred jobs with it.

The Hart County Industrial Building Authority announced recently that Lake Foods, a newly established food processor, is opening its first location in mid-February in Hart County.

Hart County Industrial Building Authority Executive Director Dwayne Dye said this a new company that plans to set up shop in an existing 62,000-square-foot facility in Hart County’s Industrial Park.

“It is a USDA-certified building,” said Hart County Industrial Building Authority Executive Director Dwayne Dye. “It was built for the purpose of processing agricultural products.”

Lake Foods Chief Marketing Officer Holly Borrow said the property in Hartwell is ideal for food processing and provides an opportunity for growth over the next several years.

Lake Foods will begin operations in mid-February by employing 28 skilled individuals working on one shift, five days a week.

Dye said the company plans on expanding into two shifts and they plan to eventually hire up to 120 employees.

“The majority of those will be hired 2014,” Dye said. “I think out of the 120, they plan to add 28 almost immediately and they’ll have at least 80 of those hired by the end of the year or the end of the third quarter. So, I think it’s a good opportunity for our citizens.”

Hart County Commission Chair Joey Dorsey agreed and said it is another economic win for the county.

“The Hart County Board of Commissioners welcomes LakeFoods to our community,” Dorsey said.  ”Agriculture is a significant component of HartCounty’s economy and we are eager to help Lake Foods aggressively grow its business and workforce in our area.”

Lake Foods is a privately owned company, with the long term ambition of becoming a large, nationally recognized preferred supplier.