Litehouse's success feeds growth
(Photo courtesy LITEHOUSE FOODS) Litehouse announced plans to expand Hurricane, Utah, plant, tripling the size of the facility from 89,000 square feet to 277,000 square feet. The project will add approximately 180,000 square feet to the facility and 165 new jobs to the community. The addition — and the additional equipment being added to the facility — are expected to cost an estimated $30 million.
SANDPOINT — Litehouse has achieved record growth over the last five years, and is reinvesting in production capabilities to meet the growing needs of consumers who are shopping in the fresh, cold produce sections of grocery stores.
Within the last year, Litehouse has invested in expansions in Sandpoint, Lowell, Mich., and now Hurricane, Utah. The expansion in Utah will triple the size of the existing plant to 277,000 square feet.
The Hurricane plant expansion will add approximately 180,000 square feet to the existing 89,000-square-foot facility and 165 new jobs to the community. The project — and the additional equipment being added to the facility — will cost an estimated $30 million.
Litehouse has partnered with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development in Utah to launch the project and the expected completion is March 2018. The Utah expansion further builds on Litehouse growth in other local counties, including a 55,000 square-foot expansion project in Lowell and a 26,000 square-foot expansion to the Ella facility in Sandpoint.
“We are excited to reinvest in the communities where we live, by adding new jobs and new employee-owners to the Litehouse family,” said Jim Frank, Litehouse CEO. “Our employees, innovation and capability to be flexible in a changing consumer environment is what has led Litehouse to the success we’re enjoying today.”
Litehouse’s success is driven by its ability to quickly innovate, the passion of its 100-percent employee owner workforce and by producing products that are specifically targeted to meet consumer demand as shoppers move away from center aisles and choose fresh products found in the store’s perimeter.
The fresh product perimeter of the grocery store is a $146 billion category with consistent growth over the past five years, said company officials, referencing a Nielsen Perishables Group Total report for the 52 weeks ending May 28, 2016.
Litehouse produces a breadth of products, including refrigerated salad dressings and products for the health-conscious consumer, such as Greek yogurt-based dressings and organics. In addition to dressings, Litehouse innovates in the categories of herbs, dips, packaged salad kits and beverages.
About Litehouse Inc.
Litehouse, Inc. started in the Hope restaurant of the Hawkins family over 50 years ago. Since that time, it has become a leader in refrigerated salad dressings, fruit and veggie dips, sauces, Instantly Fresh herbs, blue cheese, and cold-pressed apple cider
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