Press Release:
As announced by New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, HP Hood plans to invest $120 million to expand its footprint at the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park in the town of Batavia. The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) Board of Directors will consider an initial resolution for the proposal expansion at its meeting on Thursday, September 7th.
The $120 million project includes the construction of a 32,500 sq ft expansion to accommodate its automatic storage and retrieval system (ASRS) refrigerated warehouse. The project will also include new batching and processing systems and other upgrades which will allow the company to increase capacity and begin a new production line.
The expansion would create 48 new jobs while retaining 455 FTEs, more than doubling the company’s initial employment commitments in 2017. HP Hood’s project is the fifth $100+ million project in Genesee County in the past three years, including Plug Power’s expansion and Edwards Vacuum announcements at STAMP and Horizon Acres Associates in Pembroke in 2023, and Plug Power’s initial project at STAMP in 2021.
“Since 2011, the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park food and beverage industry has attracted over $600 million of private sector investment supporting over 1,000 jobs,” said GCEDC President and CEO Steven Hyde. “This investment and jobs has generated significant benefits for our community as Genesee County and Batavia are truly the leading dairy-processing hub of the Northeast.”
The GCEDC will consider sales tax exemptions estimated at $4.52 million, a property tax abatement estimated at $549,705 based on an incremental increase in assessed value, and a mortgage tax exemption estimated at $536,000 bringing the value of the proposed financial agreements to approximately $5.6 million. For every $1 of public benefit, HP Hood is investing $16 into the local economy resulting in a local economic impact of $49.87 million in wages and tax revenue.
The GCEDC board will also consider a final resolution from Oak Orchard Solar 3 LLC for a 5 MW community solar farm in the town of Batavia. The $9 million project is projected to generate $4,000/megawatts (AC) annually + a 2% annual escalator of revenues to Genesee County and the Elba Central School District, along with a host agreement with the Town of Batavia.
