Former Progresso Plant In Vineland Gets New Life With A New Owner

VINELAND, N.J. (CBS) -- The State of New Jersey has approved almost $22 million in tax credits to allow a Cumberland County produce company to move into the recently closed Progresso plant in Vineland.

Those credits from the Economic Development Authority kick in once F & S Produce of Rosenhayn relocates its main facility to the Vineland plant, along with its 380 workers. Sixty more will be hired under the plan and the new owners must make almost $19 million in private investment.

Progresso Going Ahead With Vineland, NJ Plant Closure

"This Progresso site was the type of production plant that F & S was looking for," Authority CEO Melissa Olsen told KYW Newsradio, "and so this site would expedite a typical time frame for a business."

Progresso just closed the Vineland plant last week, putting over 300 people out of work. But efforts by city and county officials helped most of them to find other jobs in an area where food production is a prime industry.

"Cumberland County does struggle a bit from an economic standpoint," county freeholder director Joe Derella said, "and the availability to have F & S Produce step in to fill a void that Progresso has made is absolutely wonderful news for the entire county, especially for the city of Vineland."

F & S is now looking for someone to take over their current facility.