South Coast Heads East to Springdale
by October 23, 2013 1:00 pm 248 views
South Coast Baking Company, a California-based producer of frozen cookie dough, is opening a manufacturing facility at a 104,000-SF building in Springdale, and was encouraged to do so on the strength of $8.5 million in incentives, officials announced Wednesday.
The site at 800 S. 40th St. was chosen over bids from other suitors in three different states. The building will undergo a complete retrofit beginning in about a month, and when the facility opens, will employ as many as 150 people.
“Springdale welcomed us with open arms,” said Kent Hayden, president and CEO of South Coast. “After carefully considering several regions to expand our California facility, Springdale proved to be a perfect fit for South Coast Baking.”
South Coast distributes its products to more than 38 countries and is the exclusive cookie dough producer for Mrs. Fields. South Coast is also a major supplier for Bentonville-based Sam’s Club and St. Louis-based Panera Bread.
The Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Arkansas Development Finance Authority were instrumental in luring South Coast to Springdale. Programs used to seal the deal with South Coast included the Quick Action Closing Fund, the Advantage Arkansas Income Tax Credit and the Tax Back sales and use tax refund.
The state of Arkansas also backed a bond issue in the amount of $4.5 million, money South Coast will use to retrofit the new facility.
Among the many luminaries present at Wednesday’s announcement was Gov. Mike Beebe.
“Congratulations, Springdale,” he said.