An Italian manufacturer of tomato sauce will spend $20 million to set up a factory in Alma, Ga., that will bring together flavors from Georgia and Italy.
La Regina Atlantica, the U.S. subsidiary of La Regina di San Marzano in the famous Italian region known for its tomatoes, is set to employ 250 people at the Georgia facility.
The family-owned parent company has been operating its canned-peeled tomato and sauce factory for more than 40 years. Executives saw southeast Georgia’s Bacon County as the “perfect place” for an American expansion, given an agricultural base that brings to mind the company’s home region.
Kevin Ellis, executive director of the Bacon County Development Authority, said the company would feel at home in a small, family-oriented community where the workforce is well trained in food safety and packaging.
La Regina Atlantica plans to source carrots, peppers, basil, onions and meats from local farmers, while importing its Italian tomatoes through the Savannah port.
“It ensures we have access to vast supplies of all the raw materials we need to pack the sauce, and we believe our business will do wonderfully there,” said Felice Romano, president of La Regina, in a news release. “Then, there’s so much room for expansion – literally and figuratively – in Alma, not to mention the close proximity to the third-largest port in the U.S., the Port of Savannah.”
Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson visited the company’s home plant during a trip through Europe this week, where he is meeting with existing investors and prospects along with the state’s Munich-based European office.
“When I toured their facility in Italy, I had the honor of trying their tomato basil sauce directly off the line, and the locally grown and sourced ingredients taste like home,” said Mr. Wilson.
The company’s marketing subsidiary for the U.S. is based in New York City. Learn more at https://lasanmarzano.com.
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