Nestle Prepared Foods: to expand frozen food plant

Solon / OH. (wib) A little bit of Chicago is coming to Jonesboro and that will result in as many as 200 new jobs. Nestle Prepared Foods Company announced that they are getting into pizza production at their Arkansas plant. The statement means a 60 million USD expansion to Nestle´s frozen foods manufacturing facility, which opened just five years ago in Arkansas. The plant now has about 600 workers, with 200 positions being added in the last six months for increased production of Stouffer´s and Lean Cuisine lines. The plant will expand by 50.000 square feet and add a production line and a new bakery so it can produce pizzas for both brands. Solon, Ohio-based Nestle said that Nation Pizza Products of Schaumberg, Illinois, will operate the bakery. When Nestle announced in 2001 that it would build a 259 million USD plant in Jonesboro, it said the facility would employ 1.000 workers, with the potential of 2.100 employees when fully expanded. Solon-based Nestle Prepared Foods has more than 7.000 employees. It is owned by Nestle S.A. of Vevey (CH) the world´s largest food company.