InnovAsian Cuisine Enterprises to open facility in Jonesboro, create 200 jobs
by February 3, 2026 5:15 pm 536 views
InnovAsian Cuisine Enterprises, a subsidiary of Nichirei Foods will build a frozen food manufacturing facility in Jonesboro. It will create about 200 jobs, strengthening the region’s position as a hub for food manufacturing.
The company makes frozen Asian-food themed meals. Nichirei will make a capital contribution of approximately $105 million to InnovAsian in 2026 to initiate the project. When construction will be complete and when the facility will start operations were not released.
“This new facility investment underscores InnovAsian’s commitment to growth and is a pivotal moment in the evolution of the brand. This is a major step forward for Nichirei’s global growth strategy in the North American market,” said Joe Kent, president and CEO of InnovAsian. “Our new Jonesboro facility will allow us to meet growing demand for high-quality Asian cuisine while creating meaningful jobs in the community. It has been a pleasure to work with Jonesboro Unlimited, the Governor of Arkansas, and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC), and we look forward to delivering innovation and flavor to more families across America.”
The 175,000-square-foot facility will be located in the Craighead Technology Park. InnovAsian chose this site after a competitive multi-state search, citing speed-to-market, a skilled workforce, and strong local and state support as key factors, according to state officials.
“Arkansas is proud to be a state where farm products are turned into value-added food for tables across America,” Gov. Sarah Sanders said in a statement. “With approximately 200 new jobs coming to Jonesboro, this investment strengthens our economy and expands opportunity in Northeast Arkansas, while creating another market for Arkansas’ number one industry, agriculture.”
“Jonesboro has a long history of supporting food manufacturing, and we are excited that InnovAsian has seen our competitive advantages and decided to be a part of our community,” said Mark Young, president of Jonesboro Unlimited.