Harry's Fresh Foods to open Nashville production facility
Harry's Fresh Foods, a Portland, Ore.-based manufacturer of premium refrigerated and frozen soups, entrées, sides and desserts under its own brands and for private labeling, said it intends to expand operations with a production facility in Nashville, Tenn.
"This expansion increases Harry's capacity on both sides of the country and enables us to offer the same high-quality products with less distance to travel," said Harry's Fresh Foods CEO Jamie Colbourne. "Having a 200,000-square-foot facility east of the Rocky Mountains improves efficiency and available delivered shelf life on the company's fresh, natural and organic products."
The reduced travel distance for products also has environmental benefits that align well with Harry's fresh, natural and organic approach, the company said.
"We are thrilled to be improving our ability to serve customers on a national basis with a state-of-the-art facility," said John Sucharski, vice president of operations and supply chain. "This move into Nashville likely makes Harry's Fresh Foods the first company in its category to offer manufacturing on both sides of the Rockies."
The new Nashville facility will produce branded and private label products for club, retail and food-service customers. Harry's Fresh Foods offers flexible manufacturing capabilities and uses fresh ingredients that are sourced locally, whenever possible. The company said it will also continue to develop strategic partnerships in the contract packing and private label business.
The facility in Nashville was previously operated by Oberto Brands of Kent, Wash., which announced in January its plans to close the plant after three years of operation. Harry's Fresh Foods said it will hire 25 employees in Nashville on May 1, with another 60-75 employees to be added in July.
The company said its goal is to have the facility up and running in the third quarter of 2016. The transaction will close on April 29. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.