Expected to open in April 2016
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 21, 2015) — British nutrition supplement maker Cend LLC plans to invest $17 million in a production facility in Bullitt County, creating as many as 350 jobs, Gov. Matt Bevin announced today.
Construction is underway for a 210,000-s.f. facility in Shepherdsville that will include offices and manufacturing space. The facility is expected to open in April 2016.
As part of online retailer The Hut Group, which is based in Northwich, U.K., Cend specializes in sports nutrition supplements and a vast range of high protein foods, snacks, drinks and an expansive clothing range used by sports enthusiasts, endurance athletes and bodybuilders.
“We welcome this fast growing, global company to the community and region. International companies such as Cend provide economic activity vital to Kentucky’s growth,” said Bevin. “Our state, in turn, offers international firms the geographic location, work force and logistical resources necessary for long term success. We intend to ensure that, in the years ahead, Kentucky becomes synonymous with being business friendly. We will spread the message that we are serious about attracting global companies, and we will prove that with the tax and legislative policies that we put forward in the months and years ahead.”
Cend joins nearly 450 internationally owned companies with locations in Kentucky, a contingent employing almost 90,000 people across multiple industries. This year, international companies announced nearly 90 new or expansion projects in Kentucky, representing a $1.57 billion projected investment.
Cend’s presence also adds to the state’s fast-growing food and beverage industry, which has seen more than 40 new or expanding location announcements this year and a total projected investment of nearly $260 million. The industry employs more than 45,000 people in the commonwealth.
Cend, founded in 2004, produces the Myprotein brand that sells both in the U.K. and internationally. Myprotein is now Europe’s largest sports nutrition brand with sales of $250 million in 2015. Parent company The Hut Group, a multi-website online retailer of health, beauty, fashion and entertainment products, placed first in both 2014 and 2015 Profit Track 100, an annual ranking of three-year average profit growth published by the Sunday Times. The Hut Group will see sales rise by 35 percent to $480 million in 2015.
“We are excited to announce our agreement with the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and that our new production facility will be based in the state of Kentucky,” said Myprotein CEO Andy Duckworth. “This will be bringing world-class sports nutrition manufacturing to the area and will mean creation of up to 350 new jobs, something Myprotein (Cend LLC) are very proud to be part of.”
To encourage Cend’s investment and job growth in Bullitt County, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $2.6 million through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the agreement term through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.
In addition, Cend 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. The Kentucky Skills Network trained more than 84,000 employees from more than 5,600 Kentucky companies in 2014.
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