Frinsa is investing $21 million in a plant near Kathleen High School and planning to hire up to 115 people.
The company’s 180,000-square-foot facility at 900 Chestnut Road – has been built but not yet occupied; the company is transforming the building into a canning facility for its canning lines of tuna, salmon, sardines, and chicken.
Frinsa is asking the city of Lakeland for a $400,000 incentive to help mitigate its impact fees.
The Lakeland Economic Development Council has been working with Frinsa, a fish and meat canning company based in Spain that was looking to create a plant in Florida.
Frinsa is a family-owned company founded in 1961 and based in Ribeira, Spain, a coastal town of about 30,000 people. Coracides said Frinsa employs about 1,000 of the town’s residents
Otis Coracides, Frinsa’s managing director for the Lakeland operations, said in an email in addition to Lakeland’s location along Interstate 4, near the Port of Tampa, and several airports and rail lines, Frinsa chose Lakeland because of the friendly welcome they have received.
“We’re very thankful to have the opportunity to be a part of the community here in Lakeland,” Coracides said in an email. “As we were looking at where we wanted to have our organization, we took a hard look at the east coast because of the time change. We really found what we feel is a great home here in Lakeland because of the people here at the Lakeland Economic Development Council, the mayor, and the office of the congressman. We just felt such a warm embrace — they’ve helped us with everything where we needed support.”
Coracides send he will be attending a Lakeland City Commission agenda study session Friday to discuss the plan to provide Frinsa with a $400,000 incentive once their manufacturing plant is completed. The incentive is intended to mitigate a portion of the city’s water and wastewater impact fees for the project.
Currently, in the U.S., Frinsa provides private-label products for Trader Joe’s and others. Coracides hopes to create a partnership with Lakeland-based Publix.
Coracides said they are leasing the facility, but they are in Lakeland for the long run. The company’s website shows its U.S. headquarters as the Lakeland office.
In addition, Coracides said they are creating 110 to 115 jobs, with an average salary of $54,206.
According to the contract, while the facility is just outside the city limits, it will be serviced by the city-owned Lakeland Electric and the city’s water utility, which will add money to the city’s coffers.