Food manufacturer bringing $70 million facility and 100+ jobs to Salt Lake Co

A major food and beverage manufacturer will put a $70 million manufacturing and warehousing operation in Salt Lake County.

Denver-based WhiteWave Foods Co. announced the project after the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) board last week approved a $1 million tax credit incentive to land the project, with the incentive tied to the creation of 105 jobs.

“It’s an exciting project,” Jerry Oldroyd, chairman of the GOED board’s incentives committee, said at last week’s GOED board meeting.

The company manufactures, markets and sells branded plant-based foods and beverages, coffee creamers and beverages, dairy products and organic produce. It sells products primarily in North America, Europe and through a joint venture in China. Its well-known brands include Silk, So Delicious and Vega plant-based foods and beverages; International Delight and Land O' Lakes coffee creamers and beverages; Horizon Organic and Wallaby Organic dairy products; and Earthbound Farm organic salads, fruits and vegetables.

During the company’s third quarter ended Sept. 30, it reported adjusted net income of $64 million on net sales of $1 billion. Its merger with Danone SA is expected to close in the 2017 first quarter.

The Utah incentive is over six years, during which the company is expected to pay total wages of $27.2 million and state tax revenue of $5 million.

“Utah has a strong manufacturing community and is a prime distribution location,” Val Hale, GOED’s executive director, said in a prepared statement. “We look forward to WhiteWave Foods’ growth and contributions.”

“WhiteWave’s product lines represent a growing trend toward organic and plant-based food products and helps put the state on the map in this burgeoning sector,” said Michael Flynn, chief marketing officer and acting chief of staff at the Economic Development Corporation of Utah.

Also last week, the GOED board approved a $292,933 incentive for Oto Analytics Inc., doing business as Womply, for a $100,000 office facility in Lehi.

Founded in 2011 and with main offices in San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, Oto uses data and technology to help small and medium-sized companies grow, protect and simplify their businesses by giving them a better understanding of their customers. The company provides on a subscription basis a suite of business monitoring, analytics and marketing tools that help merchants manage their businesses more easily and get more customers. Womply also provides complete monitoring and management of online reviews from sites such as Google and TripAdvisor and is a leading technology partner to the credit card processing industry.

The incentive is tied to the creation of 175 jobs over five years. New wages over the period are expected to total $41.3 million, and new state tax revenue is expected to be nearly $2 million.

“We are thrilled to be expanding into Utah County and to tap into the great pool of local talent,” Cory Capoccia, Womply president, said in a statement read at the GOED board meeting. “We aim to build a lasting presence in the area. We are hiring aggressively for sales, operations, engineering and other critical roles to accelerate and support our already industry-leading growth.”

“Womply is a Silicon Valley company that has identified an important niche market and is experiencing rapid growth,” Hale said. “Womply used a thorough vetting process to consider multiple markets for expansion and ultimately selected Utah for its high-caliber workforce. We congratulate the company on a wise decision.”

“We are excited to welcome Womply to Utah,” Flynn said. “This project represents another win in the ‘fin-tech’ industry and will bring more high-paying jobs to the state. We are thrilled that Utah continues to make its mark in this growing industry.”