LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Nevada pretzel manufacturer announced plans Tuesday to invest $137 million into a facility in Louisville's Park Hill neighborhood, creating 350 full-time jobs over the next 10 years.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear joined local leaders for the announcement Tuesday, a plan to make Stellar Snacks the largest economic development on record in west Louisville in the last 20 years.
Co-founded in 2019 by mother/daughter duo Elisabeth and Gina Galvin, Stellar Snacks makes pretzels and roasted nuts "from scratch," according to the company's website. The first female-owned pretzel manufacture in the United States, Beshear's office said in a news release Tuesday, it has two plants in northern Nevada, employing more than 170 people.
The west Louisville facility is 434,000 square feet at 1391 Dixie Highway, just south of Wilson Avenue. Construction is set to begin in March 2024 with production starting in September 2024, though Beshear's office said the project is contingent upon the final approval of state tax incentives.
Those incentives may include support for rail access and added benefits for hiring people who live in the nine neighborhoods of the West End Opportunity area, Beshear's office said.
The jobs created at the Louisville facility will have an average hourly wage of $30.20.
Stellar Snacks distributes to more than 5,000 grocery and retail stores around the country and is offered as in-flight options on Alaska Airlines, JetBlue and American Airlines.
"When my mom and I landed in Louisville, something finally clicked – it felt like destiny," Gina Galvin said in a news release Tuesday. "Beyond our passion for baking delicious, high-quality snacks, we believe every pretzel has a purpose. That’s why we commission emerging artists to design one-of-a-kind artwork for our bags and engage with the arts community to inspire creativity in the world around us. The energy of the kind-hearted, driven people in Louisville and the creativity flowing through this historic city align perfectly with our values. We truly look forward to growing with this community."
Shortly after the announcement, David Boleyjack and Daniel Jeffrey were hanging out just a stone's throw from Dixie Highway.
"I always invested in the West End. I love the West End," Boleyjack said.
Boleyjack is proud of his Park Hill neighborhood home but wants more to do close by. He's hopeful that the company's move will make a difference.
"More stores, more restaurants," Boleyjack said. "We need to start tearing down some of these old houses and start building new houses."
Ursula McKinney recently moved out of the nearby Parkland neighborhood, and supports the company's move.
"I think it's a great thing because it's giving people the opportunity to find good-paying jobs. Not just a job but a career," McKinney said.
McKinney believes higher employment could even make the area feel safer, which is why she hopes the promise to prioritize west Louisville hires is kept.
"Having people come from other communities to that facility is kind of pointless. As long as you make sure that there's people from the West End going there," McKinney said.
Boleyjack is concerned about the potential traffic jams from workers and big delivery trucks, but will take those headaches with the investment.
"Those are the consequences you just have to deal with, but we need the jobs more than anything for our future," Boleyjack.
Stellar Snacks will hold a job fair Dec. 16 in Louisville, and hiring is set to begin in March 2024. The jobs, Beshear's office said, will consist of:
- Pretzel-makers, including master pretzel-maker and apprentice roles
- Production team members
- Engineering and maintenance managers
- Mechanics
- Technicians
- Receptionists
- Human resources assistants
Beshear's office said Stellar Snacks will partner with local community colleges and trade schools to provide work experience for students in industrial, electrical and robotic engineering.
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