The Challenge
Bellisio Foods is the nation's third-largest producer of single-serve frozen entrees, making more than two million frozen meals every day for companies including Boston Market, White Castle, Atkins, and Michelina’s. Bellisio’s existing facility in Jackson County, Ohio, employed over 1,000 people but was struggling to keep pace with the rapidly increasing customer demand.
The company needed a bigger plant, and more people.
The Solution
Bellisio (owned by parent company CP Foods) chose to invest $40 million for expanding its production facility and creating 177 new jobs in Jackson. The investment enabled the purchase of new equipment, building upgrades, the construction of an employee daycare center, and the creation of an on-site counseling center.
 Bellisio used the JobsOhio’s Talent Acquisition Services program to bolster its workforce through recruitment, engagement, candidate sourcing, selection, and training.
Key factors in choosing Ohio included:
Access to a pool of skilled workers to fill out its existing team of dedicated, talented employees
Ohio’s pro-business environment
Strong existing partnerships with state and local officials and organizations
Affordable, reliable energy to power its operations
Ohio’s strategic location: a one-day drive from 60% of U.S. and Canadian populations
The Results
Jobs Created: 177
Total Payroll: $13.2 million
Total Investment: $40 million
Economic Impact: CP Foods’ ongoing investment in Jackson has had a transformational impact on the community and surrounding areas. With its unprecedented commitment to employees and their families, Bellisio set a new tone for employers in Jackson County and across Ohio’s Appalachian region.
Strategic Advantage: Bellisio’s operations in Jackson are a flagship facility for CP Foods North America—and hardworking, talented Ohioans are the fuel behind it. The region is recognized as a dynamic economic hub with plentiful resources, genuine partnerships, and vibrant communities.
Bellisio has been one of Southeast Ohio’s major employers, and their decision to expand is good news for the people in Jackson County and beyond. With investments in broadband, career education, and road infrastructure, Southeast Ohio’s economic tide is rising, and these kinds of economic development projects are a testament to the region’s workforce and pro-business environment.
-Senator Jon Husted