Kontos Foods: wants to expand in Pennsylvania

Paterson / NJ. (kf) Kontos Foods Inc., a New Jersey-based maker of flatbread, phyllo dough and other ethnic bread products, hopes to open a 70’000-square-foot bakery in Palmer Township, Pennsylvania (U.S.). «We are best-of category and very innovative in our flatbread variety», said Steve Kontos, vice president of the company, according to local media.

This week the Kontos proposal will go before the Palmer Township Planning Commission for the first time and if approved, the company would move into a 17’482-square-foot building (former Empire Beef). Within two years, the building would be expanded by another 53’235 square feet, Kontos said. The bakery would not include any retail sales. The flatbread produced would be shipped to restaurants and stores around the country as well as Canada, Japan, Singapore, the Caribbean and Europe.

If approved, the Palmer building would be the only Kontos production site outside of its main office in Paterson, Kontos said. George Kinney, township planning director, said the plant would initially employ 17 workers. The bakery would not exceed a height of 40 feet and would be open 24 hours a day, five days a week, according to township documents. Kontos said he chose the Palmer location because it was already equipped with a large cooler the company would need for its ingredients. Kontos Foods began in 1968, according to the company.