Continuing to advance Governor Tom Corbett’s JOBS1stPA initiative, Lieutenant Governor Jim Cawley announced that Charles & Alice Group, a food processing company, has established its U.S. operations in East Hempfield Township, creating 50 new full-time jobs.
“Governor Corbett recognizes that Pennsylvania is competing at the global stage and is committed to attracting new job creating projects whether the opportunity is a neighboring state or in Western Europe,” said Cawley. “Charles & Alice welcomed Governor Corbett and the Pennsylvania delegation two years ago in France and it is with great pleasure that I welcome Charles & Alice and 50 new jobs to Lancaster County.”
Charles & Alice has entered into a lease for a 55,000-square-foot site in East Hempfield Township to serve as its first processing site in the United States. The company plans to invest more than $10.6 million in leasehold improvements, new machinery and equipment. The company has also committed to creating at least 50 new jobs within the next three years. Charles & Alice will work with Lancaster-based distributor, Hess Brother’s Fruit Company as their apple supplier for their products.
“We’re excited to announce that we will open our U.S. facility in September this year in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The Governor and his team have been really helpful in identifying the best location for us,” said Thierry Goubault, CEO of the Charles & Alice Group. “We’ve been impressed by their energy and involvement in making this project happen. To produce the healthiest Fruit Pouches for kids, we need a talented workforce, high quality apples, a supportive community and a business-friendly state government, and we can find all of this here, in Pennsylvania.”
The company received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development including a $22,500 Guaranteed Free Training grant to be used to train its new workforce. Additional funding includes a $150,000 Pennsylvania First Program grant that facilitates investment and job creation and $150,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits.
The company has also been encouraged to apply for the funding offer as well as a low-interest loan including $1.25 million from the Machinery and Equipment Loan Fund (MELF). Charles & Alice has accepted the funding proposal, but must still apply for each loan and grant and agree to the terms prior to award receipt.
The project was coordinated by DCED’s Office of International Business Development (OIBD) in collaboration with the Governor’s Action Team, Lancaster County Economic Development Corporation, PA Department of Agriculture and the Team Pennsylvania Foundation.
Charles & Alice is a food company headquartered in France and is one of the leading manufacturers of apple sauce in Europe. The company specializes in ready-to-eat, healthy food products such as squeezable apple sauce pouches. In 2000, Charles & Alice launched in France the first range of apple sauces with no added sugar, developing an unequaled expertise in bringing healthy and tasty food to consumers. The company has been exporting to the US market since 2008.
In March 2012, Governor Corbett led a delegation of business, tourism, university leaders, and economic development partners on a JOBS1st mission to France and Germany to open new doors for economic growth and job creation and to keep Pennsylvania at the forefront of international business development. While in Lyon, France, Governor Corbett met with Charles & Alice to discuss opportunities in Pennsylvania.
JOBS1stPA, launched in 2012, created a comprehensive roadmap to economic recovery that harnesses the state’s resources and talents to prioritize private-sector job growth. Today, Pennsylvania's unemployment rate stands at a five-year low and jobs have been growing on a consistent basis for nearly four years.
For more information about Corbett’s JOBS1st PA initiative, visit www.pa.gov.
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