Kraft Heinz announced plans to move production from its existing Davenport, Iowa facility to a new proposed location in Davenport.
A spokesperson from the company said in a statement that the move would take up to two years.
At a meeting Wednesday, November 4, 2015, city leaders approved tax incentives to Kraft Heinz Company to build the new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Davenport, Iowa.
The company has been in Davenport for nearly 70 years. The council's committee of the whole will consider a resolution to help the company expand on land near Interstate 80 and Northwest Boulevard.
"The Kraft Heinz Company is now considering the construction of a state-of-the-art food manufacturing facility on approximately 70 acres in the Eastern Iowa Industrial Center. The company estimates the total project investment at $203 million. This project allows for the retention of at least 475 full time positions. These positions are supported with a benefit package," the COW agenda item said.
"The Kraft Heinz Foods Company has requested City of Davenport and State of Iowa economic development incentives," and the city was offering an industrial property tax exemption, the resolution said. The property would be voluntarily annexed to Davenport, and it would be included in tax increment financing as part of the city's North Urban Renewal Area.
Amid other changes, including closing multiple facilities as well as moving part of the cheese production from the Champaign, Illinois facility, the company expected to reduce the amount of jobs in the country by about 2,600.
Plant closures were announced in California, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Canada. The statement indicated that production from those locations would shift to other factories in North America.
"At the same time, we will invest hundreds of millions of dollars in improving capacity utilization and modernizing many of our facilities with the installation of state-of-the-art production lines," said a statement from the company.
The Committee of the Whole was scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 4, 2015, at City Hall, 226 West Fourth Street, in Davenport.