Frito-Lay and the Think Dutchess Alliance for Business on Dec. 22 issued announcements that Frito-Lay will be building a $100 million fulfillment center at National Resources’ iPark 84 campus in East Fishkill. Frito-Lay said that it had acquired 28 acres at iPark 84 for the development.
The Business Journal reported in September that the project was in the works.
The Business Journal reported at the time that confidential discussions had taken place with the town regarding the proposal before an application was filed. The proposal was given the name “Project Niagara” to avoid publicly identifying Frito-Lay or PepsiCo. The entity that filed for a go-ahead to build was Rolling Frito-Lay Sales LP, a subsidiary of PepsiCo.
Among the approvals being sought by Frito-Lay was an economic redevelopment special-use permit for the fulfillment center, which is to be built on what is now an empty parking lot.
Frito-Lay said that the facility will operate 24 hours a day, six days a week, receiving snack food product from affiliate-owned manufacturing facilities located in: Kirkwood, New York; Killingly, Connecticut; Perry, Georgia; and Aberdeen, Maryland. No products will be manufactured at the site. Snack products received will be distributed from the project site to the New York metro market.
The Dec. 22 announcements say that construction on the site will begin in 2022 and the facility is expected to be operational in 2024. It is expected that 80 construction jobs will be created and that there will be 80 permanent jobs created in the fulfillment center. Annual salaries for fulfillment center workers are expected to average $50,000 and hiring is expected to begin in 2023.
The Business Journal reported in September that the fulfillment center would have 20 loading docks. There would be 100 parking spaces for truck trailers and 13 parking spaces for the tractor portion of the trucking rigs. The plan calls for 108 parking spaces for cars. The Business Journal reported that the fulfillment center would cover 157,907 square feet.
It was estimated there would be 36 people working in the fulfillment center at any given time, and a maximum of 72 workers on the site during a shift change that would occur at 4 a.m.
The Think Dutchess Alliance quoted County Executive Marc Molinaro as saying, “We are excited to welcome Frito-Lay to Dutchess County, furthering the county”™s logistics and manufacturing significance in the northeast. The region will benefit from new jobs, and locally the county, town and school district will benefit from new tax dollars, and the added benefit of eliminating a long vacant and blighted site. Moreover, Frito-Lay”™s commitment to sustainability, and diversity and inclusion will provide social, environmental, and economic benefits for years to come.”
Kathy Alfano, PepsiCo”™s senior director of economic development, was quoted as saying, “We appreciate the continued support of Dutchess County and the Town of East Fishkill as they have been essential to this project. Frito-Lay is proud to expand its presence in New York state and become a new member of this community.”
The Think Dutchess Alliance itself extended a welcome to Frito-Lay in its Dec. 22 announcement.
“We are excited to welcome Frito-Lay to our community,” said Sarah Lee, CEO of the organization. “The company”™s presence will support economic growth in Dutchess County for many years to come. We are eager to have one of America”™s most recognizable household convenient food producers join our leading logistics and manufacturing facility at iPark 84.”
Frito-Lay North America is an $18 billion division of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase. Among the division”™s products are Lay”™s and Ruffles potato chips, Doritos tortilla chips, Cheetos snacks, Tostitos chips and dips, SunChips and Fritos corn chips.
