November 20, 2014 — The following was released by the City of Gloucester, Massachusetts:
The City of Gloucester today announced an Illinois-based Mazzetta Company has purchased a 65,000-square-foot plant in the Blackburn Industrial Park, where it will operate an innovative seafood processing facility that will create 200 full and part-time jobs in 2015. The company will invest more than $10million for the purchase of the facility, building improvements and acquisition of processing and manufacturing equipment.
“Working waterfronts across the nation compete for opportunities like this, so we are very pleased that the Mazzetta Company chose Gloucester because of our reputation as a community that fosters innovation, collaboration and an unrivaled environment for doing business on the ocean,” said Mayor Carolyn A. Kirk. “The Mazzetta Company recognizes that Gloucester is more than an American icon in the fishing industry.It is a community that embraces sustainability, fosters arts and culture and most importantly, works with the business community to ensure job creation and economic growth.”
Founded in 1987, the Mazzetta Group of Companies is a fully integrated, direct importer, processor, and wholesale distributer of premium-frozen seafood to restaurants, retailers, and hospitality organizations across North America.The family-owned company plans a multi-million dollar investment in improvements to the Blackburn Park facility, along with capital investment on equipment and processing machinery, including a new8,000-square-foot tank house.The company viewed the Gloucester facility as an ideal site for expansion to increase distribution in the United States, Canada and certain foreign markets.
The Mazzetta Company received $191,000 in tax incentives through the Commonwealth’s Economic Development Incentive Program (EDIP), which fosters full-time job creation and stimulates business growth throughout the state. The program, which requires municipal support through Tax Increment Financing, offers property tax relief in exchange for ongoing growth and investment.The City of Gloucester is supporting the project with a five-year Tax Increment Financing Agreement valued at $13,892.