Peterson Farm Incorporated annually processes 150 million pounds of fruit products including apples, sliced apples, sweet and tart cherries, peaches, blueberries and more. It also seven million gallons of apple juices and ciders.
It's now expanding into juice bottling, applesauce lines from out-of-state facilities along with plans for apple peeling and additional blueberry processing.
A $22 million dollar investment will expand production space by more than 35,000 square feet allowing Peterson Farms to process an additional 115 million pounds of Michigan grown fruits.
Currently, Peterson Farms employs up to 900 seasonal and full-time employees. The expansion will add 54 jobs.
Regional nonprofit economic development organization, The Right Place, worked with the Oceana County Economic Alliance expanding the Shelby operations.
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation awarded a $1 million Community Development Block Grant. Michigan Community Capital and PNC Bank are supporting the project with more than $3.5 million dollars in New Market Tax Credit Equity and the Michigan Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development is providing a $135,000 grant from the Michigan Food and Agriculture Investment Fund.
Patrick Center, WGVU News.