FGP Holding Group, owner of Frios Gourmet Pops, has announced plans for a move, a $20 million expansion and an increase in number of employees.
The company will move across town from its present 30,000-square-foot site in Mobile into the 130,000-square-foot Crown Products facility on Halls Mill Road.
Plans call for a $20 million investment and addition of about 200 employees over the next few years.
Founded in Gadsden in 2015, Frios Gourmet Pops was purchased by Mobile native Cliff Kennedy in 2018. Kennedy moved the headquarters to Mobile.
“Mobile is the perfect place to grow our dream of being a dynamic player in the frozen novelty industry. Through the economic support and strategic location of our city, I feel lucky to be able to make this dream a reality in my hometown. I am excited for the future and the possibilities that lie ahead,” said Kennedy.
Jeff Carter, president of FGP Manufacturing, was selected by Kennedy to superintend the expansion. “Our industry is ripe for innovation in process, products and efficiency and I eagerly anticipate the challenge of assembling the best team in the industry,” said Carter.
The Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, which handles economic development for the city, announced and praised the expansion plans.
“Having a Mobile-based company expand in our community has always been a goal of our economic development efforts,” said David Rodgers, vice president of economic development for the Chamber. “The success that FGP has had in Mobile is a testament to the company’s leadership and local support.”
Gov. Kay Ivey also offered support for the project. “I’m thrilled to see the entrepreneurial success that Cliff Kennedy has achieved in Mobile and excited that the growth of this enterprise is translating into new jobs and opportunities in his hometown,” she said. “This is great news for the community and for the state because it shows what’s possible in Alabama.”
