Photo / Peter Van allen
LaJoie Bros is finishing up a new site for Vivid Cloud at Brunswick Landing.
Updated: April 4, 2022
Building Business
Building Business: Sheridan to manage construction of snack-food production site
Photo / sheridan construction
Maine Crisp Co.’s future site in Winslow.
Sheridan Corp. has been named as general contractor for the $1.3 million build-out of the new Winslow manufacturing site for Maine Crisp Co., a maker of gluten-free snacks.
Maine Crisp, founded as a home-based business in 2014 by Karen Getz, is now going through its second expansion. Most recently, it has been based in Waterville.
Overall, the company is investing $2.4 million to increase its manufacturing capacity by tenfold and triple its workforce.
This follows a year of national growth. Maine Crisp now distributes nationally through Providence, R.I.-based United Natural Foods Inc. (NYSE: UNFI), which claims to be the largest publicly traded wholesale distributor of health and specialty foods in North America, and Napierville, Ill.-based KeHE Distributors, which has 16 distribution centers in North America.
By the way, the three leaders of Maine Crisp — Karen and Steve Getz and Michael Ross — were named Business Leaders of the Year by Mainebiz in 2021.
Expansion plans first developed in 2020. The company looked for a new facility that would allow for growth and was near Waterville. One of Maine Crisp’s investors acquired 20 Lithgow St. in Winslow at the end of 2020 and is handling renovations and the fit-up.
Architect Jim Shipsky, who is based in Waterville, drafted plans to repurpose the large, aging building into a 100% gluten-free-certified site for manufacturing, warehousing and retail.
Fairfield-based Sheridan was hired for the fit-out.
“It means a great deal to Sheridan to participate in this project, being able to help businesses succeed and create jobs in central Maine, where most of our employees live, is a win-win for us,” says Dan Wildes, president of Sheridan Construction. “Our team has successfully completed dozens of food-processing projects and understands food safety requirements better than most. A project that is close to home is important as we retain our experienced employees and build our team.”
With added capacity, Maine Crisp is expected to source greater volumes of ingredients from Maine suppliers.
It already works with the Bouchard Family Farm in Fort Kent to get buckwheat and gets maple syrup from Spring Break Maple Farms in Smyrna.
“The new facility is the catalyst for Maine Crisp’s evolution from a specialty crisp producer to a national brand renowned for its expertise and innovation in value-added buckwheat products,” says Michael Ross, chairperson of Maine Crisp. “We are thrilled to be able to continue our growth in Maine, with its agricultural bounty and skilled workforce that are key ingredients to our success.”
Other news from around the construction industry
LaJoie Bros., an Augusta contractor, is finishing up a new Brunswick Landing site for Vivid Cloud, a Brunswick IT firm.
Aceto Earthworks, a Lewiston firm, is doing site work on the site of what will be an Aroma Joe’s coffee shop in Topsham.
A.R. Building Co., a Pennsylvania builder, got approval to build a 202-unit apartment complex at 305 Bath Road in Brunswick, on a vacant parcel opposite Mid Coast Hospital.
In Freeport, the 144-unit Residences at Crosstree is nearing completion. The complex was a partnership between West Hartford, Conn.-based Simon Konover Co., Providence, R.I.-based KGI Properties LLC and Boston-based Devine Capital LLC.
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