Blount Fine Foods plans to spend more than $10 million this year upgrading its Water Street plant.
Armed with up to $1 million in Rebuild Rhode Island tax credits announced this week, the firm …
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Blount Fine Foods plans to spend more than $10 million this year upgrading its Water Street plant.
Armed with up to $1 million in Rebuild Rhode Island tax credits announced this week, the firm plans to install new production lines in its 38,000-square-foot facility, adding to its product lines and adding an additional 20 or more jobs.
Blount, which has roots in Warren’s historic oyster fishery, has been producing high end soups and chowders for years, shipping their products across the country and internationally. Todd Blount said this week the significant upgrades, and the state tax credits, will have a major impact on its operations:
“This incentive … gives us the ability to significantly invest in state-of-the-art processes and equipment,” he said; the goal is to “keep us aligned with consumers’ ever-changing desires and preferences.”
Mr. Blount said that following its early days as a clam processing operation, the Water Street building was partially retrofitted in 2011 to focus on premium soups for restaurants and retailers. The headquarters relocated to Fall River in 2004.
He said the new upgrades will make room for a new line of refrigerated cups and bowls for soups, sides and macaroni and cheese. Though those products are already made in other Blount facilities, they will now be made in Warren as well.
He said renovations to the 150-year-old building also include food safe finishes on the floors, walls and ceilings; half of the money will be spent on packaging, processing and cooking equipment.
Since its creation by Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo and approval from the General Assembly in 2016, the Rebuild Rhode Island Tax Credit program has helped 40 projects across the state get underway. According to figures from the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, the credits have spurred more than $2.3 billion in private investment and have created nearly 12,000 construction jobs.