Home » Owensboro’s Specialty Foods celebrates 100 years, adds 65 jobs

Owensboro’s Specialty Foods celebrates 100 years, adds 65 jobs

Owensboro, Ky. – One hundred years after it opened, Speciality Foods Group Inc. in Owensboro is celebrating its centennial with a facility expansion.

Specialty Foods, a meat packaging company with a portfolio of brands, including Kentucky Legend, Field, Fischer’s, Kentuckian Gold, Mickelberry’s and Scott Pete, invested $2.6 million into the project and will create at least 65 new jobs.

“I am delighted to celebrate Specialty Foods Group’s expansion in Owensboro,” said Gov. Steve Beshear at the ribbon cutting for the expanded facility. “This investment not only creates 65 additional jobs for the citizens of western Kentucky, but it also demonstrates the company’s confidence in Kentucky’s quality workforce and business climate. I look forward to working with Specialty Foods as they continue to grow their presence in the Commonwealth.”

The project included updating equipment to improve product quality and increase production capacity. The added capacity will allow Specialty Foods Group to continue growth on a national level with its Kentucky Legend Brand.

“This is an exciting year for Specialty Foods Group, with the recent completion of our ham expansion project, adding significant production capacity and jobs in the manufacturing facility that has called Owensboro home for over 100 years,” said Steve Wright, president of Specialty Foods Group. “This is just the first block in the foundation for the future of Specialty Foods Group.”

Specialty Foods opened its manufacturing facility in Owensboro in December 1914. Currently, the company employs 501 people in Kentucky.

“Any birthday is worth celebrating, and the milestone of 100 years is nothing short of monumental. The Specialty Foods family has invested millions of dollars in our community, and its greatest investment is in the families it supports,” said Owensboro Mayor Ron Payne. “The announcement of their expansion on their 100th year in business – including $2.6 million and 65 new jobs is a great present to Owensboro. Congratulations, Specialty Foods Group, for your dedication to our community. Let’s celebrate many more to come.”

To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $2.3 million through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the term of the agreement through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.

In addition, Specialty Foods is eligible to receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network. Through the Kentucky Skills Network, companies are eligible to receive no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job training incentives. Last year, the Kentucky Skills Network trained more than 84,000 employees from more than 4,100 Kentucky companies.

For more information on Specialty Foods, visit specialtyfoodsgroup.com.