MN: Pizzey Ingredients to Build $3.2M Flaxseed Processing Plant, Hire 14

Canada-based Pizzey Ingredients will invest $3.2 million and hire 14 people to operate a new milling facility in Delano.

Company officials said they plan to build a 20,000-square-foot flaxseed-processing plant in the West Metro Business Park. The new jobs will pay wages averaging $22.67 an hour.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is supporting the project with a $196,969 grant from the Job Creation Fund. The business will receive the funding once it has met hiring and investment commitments.

The Pizzey family has been raising flaxseed and other crops for more than 100 years in western Manitoba,” said DEED Commissioner Shawntera Hardy. "The new plant will help the company meet growing demand for its flaxseed products, while bringing jobs and new investment to Delano.”

Pizzey Ingredients, based in Angusville, Manitoba, processes flaxseed for use in baked products, beverages and other foods. Pizzey Ingredients also recently launched a retail line of flaxseed and flaxseed baking mixes under the brand name Manitoba Milling Co. Most flaxseed, also known as linseed, has industrial applications, such as fiber for linen or as an ingredient in paint. But it is increasingly being seen as a superfood that is high in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and other nutrients.

The Job Creation Fund, which was first proposed by Gov. Mark Dayton in 2013, is a pay-for-performance program that provides funding to businesses after they meet certain criteria, including minimum requirements for job creation and private investments. Under the program, businesses must create at least 10 full-time jobs and invest at least $500,000 to be eligible for financial assistance in the Twin Cities metro and create at least five full-time jobs and invest at least $250,000 in Greater Minnesota.

Since the Job Creation Fund was launched in January 2014, DEED has awarded $36.2 million for 78 business expansion projects in Minnesota. Companies have committed to creating more than 4,900 full-time jobs and investing more than $978.3 million to expand.

Go to the DEED website for more details about the Job Creation Fund.

DEED is the state’s principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. For more details about the agency and its services, visit the DEED website or follow us on Twitter .