Fruit-flavoring firm to open $11M plant in Greenwood

California Custom Fruits and Flavors Inc.—which makes fruit and flavor ingredients for the dairy, bakery and beverage industries—announced Tuesday that it will invest $11 million to open a factory in Greenwood.

The company—which is based in Irwindale, California, and has nearly 100 workers split between its headquarters and manufacturing plant in that state—plans to create 24 full-time jobs in Greenwood by 2023.

California Custom Fruits will erect its 65,000-square-foot Greenwood plant in the Greenwood Park at 65 South industrial park, which is at South Graham and Collins roads.

The new facility will allow California Custom Fruits to increase its production of processed fruit for yogurt, bakery fillings and other foods and also will place the company in closer proximity to its Midwest clients. 

"After much research, it became evident that Indiana was the best business and tax environment of any Midwest state within the region we were searching," James Fragnoli, chief financial officer of California Custom Fruits, said in a statement.

"Additionally, Indiana has the most favorable workers’ compensation rates and most highways and byways of any state in the Midwest.”

The company, founded in 1986 by Terry and Rose Ann Hall, focused on yogurt fruit bases before branching into other products for ice cream manufacturers, industrial bakeries and coffee chains.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. offered California Custom Fruits up to $160,000 in tax credits based on its job-creation plans. The credits are performance-based, meaning the company can’t claim them until workers are hired.

In addition, the Greenwood Redevelopment Commission last month approved a 10-year, $1.3 million tax break on California Custom Fruits’ real and personal property, according to the Johnson County Development Corp. Over the 10 years, the company still will owe about $1.5 million in property taxes.