Franklin Foods, Inc., Delray Beach, Fla., will open a second manufacturing facility in Casa Grande, Ariz. Cream Cheese production is planned to commence in early 2013.

The Franklin Food West facility greatly expands manufacturing capacity for the company’s rapidly growing foodservice, industrial, retail, private label and international businesses. The state-of-the-art 90,000-square-foot facility will produce a full line of cultured cream cheese and cream cheese-based products, including the newly launched Greek cream cheese. The plant is expected to create 59 new jobs over the next two years.

“Over the past two years, we’ve conducted an exhaustive search throughout the Western USA, and we are pleased to announce our new facility in Casa Grande, Ariz.,” says Jon Gutknecht, president and CEO. “We are excited to put down roots in the local community and partner with, not only United Dairyman of Arizona (UDA) and their Coop of Arizona family farms, but also the talent-rich community of Casa Grande. We could not be happier to be a part of the great state of Arizona."

Franklin Foods also promoted Rocco Cardinale to vice president, responsible for overseeing the startup of the new facility.