Photo provided An artist’s rendering of a proposed King’s Hawaiian facility proposed to be located in Edinburgh near I-65.
The (Columbus) Republic
If your recent holiday tables included some King’s Hawaiian rolls, we suspect this might become more and more of a sweet local holiday tradition. Or maybe an everyday tradition.
That’s because, at least in principle, California-based King’s Hawaiian is now a local brand. As The Republic’s Mark Webber reported recently:
“Irresistible Foods Group, Inc., the corporation that owns the King’s Hawaiian brand, has formally agreed to all terms set down by Bartholomew County officials. The agreement paves the way for a $200 million food manufacturing facility to be constructed off County Road 200W, east of the Indiana Premium Outlets.”
If $200 million sounds like a lot of bread, well, it is. As Webber noted, the facility is one of Bartholomew County’s largest economic development projects ever undertaken outside of Columbus.
Greater Columbus Economic Development Corp. President Jason Hester told Webber that the agreement between local officials and King’s Hawaiian calls for the creation of about 147 new jobs by 2027 that will pay an average wage of $29.94 per hour.
A groundbreaking is planned next year, and construction will continue into 2026, Hester said, with the plant fully operational by 2027.
To be sure, the county has committed a lot of dough to give rise to this project. That includes about $2.7 million from reserves for water and sewer improvements, up to $3.746 million for road and infrastructure upgrades, as well as other incentives.
But this seems like a solid investment that is bound to pay good returns for the county and for German Township and the Edinburgh and Taylorsville areas.
As Webber reported, “Hester said the 88-acre site provides enough land for possible expansion, and the company’s history indicates growth with additional jobs is a definite possibility. When King’s Hawaiian decided to expand operations for the first time outside of Los Angeles, the company first opened an 111,000 square foot bakery and distribution center in Oakwood, Georgia in 2011.
“But by 2018, the company’s products had become so popular that the Georgia facility was expanded, which raised the payroll from 100 workers to more than 650 employees.”
The local facility’s planned location near the Exit 76 interchange off Interstate 65 is one that seems ripe for further development of this kind. That’s especially true now, because the arrival of King’s Hawaiian brought about a focus on roads and utilities in the area that will prime the pump for other potential big employers.
King’s Hawaiian and local officials from county commissioners and council members to economic development representatives and utility executives and others worked commendably to fashion an agreement on this project. We believe this development has the potential to be transformative to the region and beneficial for the local community and its labor force.
We’re not trying to butter up anyone, but it looks like this area just might be on a roll.
The (Columbus) Republic is a sister newspaper to the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
