HAZELWOOD, Mo. — A new food manufacturing plant opened up 300 jobs opportunities for people in North St. Louis county and the surrounding area.
On Tuesday, elected officials, community members, and 8th Avenue Food and Provision employees gathered outside of the new 250,000 square-foot facility on Trade Access Blvd. in Hazlewood, Missouri.
The company, which manufactures private brand food products, including nut butter, dried fruit and nut, granola and pasta, primarily to retail, foodservice, and food ingredient customers, moved its headquarters from Canada.
The company will start employees off at $16.50 an hour with benefits and flexible shifts and offers a $1,000 signing bonus to the first 100 they bring on.
Charles Sargent, an East St. Louis Illinois native, returned home to the area to lead the production lines and get people to work with them.
"Establish the right culture. The right atmosphere. The family atmosphere where this is not just a job. It's a career," Sargent said.
Attending the opening a day after his State of the State Address, Missouri Governor Mike Parson weighed in on the need to recruit talent, but to keep them coming back.
"It's going to be much more about what's it like a year from now. What's it like two years from now if you're retaining you as employees. Those are the things that we want to build on in Missouri," Gov. Parson said.
Instead of a traditional ribbon cutting to commemorate the opening of the new facility, participants in the event celebrated with a ceremonial “first tasting” of dried fruit and nuts made at the new 8th Avenue plant.
Visit the careers page of 8ave.com or text “CAREERS” to +1 (314) 597-815 for a full list of positions.