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Meeting with county supervisors are Erick Marshall, right, and Roxanne Mayes. Introducing the company leaders is Justin Hall, left, executive director of the Marshall County Industrial Development Authority.

Hearthside/Kellogg’s coming soon

A long-awaited announcement from Hearthside/Kellogg’s that the company will occupy a warehouse and manufacturing space in Chickasaw Trail Industrial Park took place June 3.

Erick Marshall and Roxanne Mayes with Hearthside Food Solutions joined Justin Hall, executive director of Marshall County Industrial Development Authority, at the board of supervisors meeting to officially announce the deal has been signed.

Marshall said the facility in Marshall County is the 35th in the United States with four located in Europe. The company touts its place as the World’s Premier Food Company and the leader in nutrition bars and healthy snacks.

Some of its products include nutrition and energy bars, cookies, crackers, snacks and cereal, granolas, pretzels, croutons, breadcrumbs and other baked foods and snacks.

Marshall said the go-livedate for the company is July 1 when product will be coming into the building. The company will have a warehousing and distribution function and a small production site at the same location. Initially about 30 employees are in training in June. But other employees will be added beginning September.

Hall said Marshall County IDA is looking forward to getting the word out about new job opportunities and how to seek employment with the company.

“We will be working handin-hand to get the word out to the community,” he said.

Supervisor Ronnie Joe Bennett welcomed Hearthside and said the board of supervisors “will bend over backward to help the company get started up.”

Supervisor Charles Terry asked what type of employees Hearthside is looking for and the pay scale.

Marshall said the prospective employee will be 18 years or older, have a minimum of a GED, and will pass a background check.

The company will have 100 trucks a day in and out. Prepackaged foods will be first in operation. Food safety and sanitation workers and engineers will be needed to set up eight lines, he said.

“We always want to grow,” Marshall said. “We will be able to expand to 250,000 square feet.”

Chancery clerk Chuck Thomas asked what brought Hearthside to Marshall County.

Marshall said he is not sure.

“Let me give you a reason,” Terry said. “It’s because this is the greatest place.”

Board attorney Kent Smith noted that Panattoni Construction, the builder of what is known as Spec Building #8, recently constructed a Kellogg’s facility in Jackson, Tenn.

“I’m just proud to have you in my district,” said supervisor Eddie Dixon.

Hall said Kellogg’s will be the name on the side of the building.

He said of the many new jobs in warehousing and distribution and manufacturing now becoming available in the county – for example, Kellogg’s, Amazon, Corelle – there will be many skilled jobs and some unskilled as well.

Some companies require a more stringent background check while others not so stringent, he said. Some will need skilled labor and not all people will be able to meet the requirements for those jobs. Some companies will have zero tolerance and others may not require it. Some companies may not require background checks, especially if the prospective employee has good skill sets.

Some warehousing is now paying $15 an hour and the next step up is $19 an hour.

The county will be involved in helping people prepare for interviews and some skill sets will be offered when the new workforce training center opens in September.

Hearthside is a new highgrowth, world-class food manufacturer. The company leverages people, processes and technologies and trains tomorrow’s leaders today. Founded in 2009, Hearthside is one of the fastest growing companies in the food industry.

Hearthside is a part of the great American manufacturing renaissance, setting new standards for quality and efficiency. Its dynamic growth seeks talented professionals in the areas of operations, quality, safety, engineering, food science, information technology, maintenance and more.

To learn more about the company, visit www.hearthsidefoods.com.

On the website the company introduces itself to the reader and also provides a place to inquire about jobs and careers.

Holly Springs South Reporter

P.O. Box 278
Holly Springs, MS 38635
PH: (662) 252-4261
FAX: (662) 252-3388
www.southreporter.com