ESD Announces Worcester Creameries Inc. Will Expand Manufacturing Plant in Delaware County

Plan Will Facilitate Modernization Of Delaware County Plant And Retain More Than 80 Jobs; Investment Further supports “Southern Tier Soaring” – Region’s Successful Upstate Revitalization Initiative Blueprint to Grow the Economy & Create New Opportunities

Empire State Development (ESD) today announced that Worcester Creameries, Inc., a milk manufacturer and packager that produces organic, grass fed, kosher and conventional milk products, will modernize and expand its manufacturing operations in the Town of Roxbury, Delaware County and retain more than 80 jobs in the process.

Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky said, "Thanks to Governor Cuomo’s unwavering commitment to the region, Worcester Creameries' expansion is the latest Southern Tier success story. Mountainside Farms employees will keep their jobs, local family farms will continue to sell their goods and the truck drivers who transport their products will keep on delivering. This is a business expansion that delivers real jobs and real results for the Southern Tier."

Worcester Creameries President & CEO   Cyrus Schwartz said, “We are very appreciative of New York State’s support in partnering with Worcester Creameries in the modernizing and expansion of our plant in Roxbury, NY.”

Worcester Creameries is the operator of Mountainside Farms which, as the sole buyer of raw milk from 63 family farms in the region, strongly supports the Southern Tier’s agriculture industry. In addition to the on-site jobs, the company’s operations support 20 local trucking jobs. The expansion aligns with and reinforces the Southern Tier Soaring economic initiative, which aims to bolster the region’s food and agriculture industry clusters. 

Southern Tier REDC Co-Chairs Tom Tranter, President & CEO of Corning Enterprises and Harvey Stenger, President of Binghamton University said, “The STREDC is proud to support this storied company as part of the region’s Southern Tier Soaring efforts.  Agricultural companies such as Mountainside Farms are crucial to the regions success.Thanks to Governor Cuomo’s commitment to generating economic growth upstate, the Southern Tier is moving in the right direction.”

In order to encourage  Worcester Creameries  to move ahead with the modernization of its Mountainside Farms facility, ESD has offered the company a grant of  up to $380,000 to support the approximately $2 million project and retention of more than 80 jobs. The company expects the expansion project to be completed by October 2017.

State Senator James L. Seward said, “Worcester Creameries represents a perfect blend of dairy farming and manufacturing – two economic sectors that are vital to upstate New York.  This is a smart investment of Empire State Development funds that will boost job opportunities and pay real dividends for Delaware County.”

Delaware County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Tina Mole said, “Agriculture is the backbone of upstate NY; assisting businesses to grow and succeed is the very core of our mission in Delaware County.”

Accelerating Southern Tier Soaring 

Today's announcement complements “Southern Tier Soaring, the region’s comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The State has already invested more than $3.1 billion in the region since 2012 to lay for groundwork for the plan – attracting a talented workforce, growing business and driving innovation. Today, unemployment is down to the lowest levels since before the Great Recession; personal and corporate income taxes are down; and businesses are choosing places like Binghamton, Johnson City and Corning as a destination in which to grow and invest. Now, the region is accelerating Southern Tier Soaring with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, announced by Governor Cuomo in December 2015. The State’s $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion – and the region’s plan, as submitted, projects up to 10,200 new jobs. More information is available here.

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Shari Voorhees-Vincent | [email protected] | (585) 399-7055

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