Gov. Ivey awards infrastructure grant to Coffee County

On Oct. 30 Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced that she had awarded an $820,000 grant to provide the infrastructure necessary for the new Ben E. Keith Foods plant to expand and create 82 new jobs.

Ben E. Keith Foods is located in Elba and is currently building a second plant in New Brockton. Gov. Ivey and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) are providing Community Development Block Grants that will be used to supply water and sewer services to Ben E. Keith Foods’ 450,000-square foot facility, which is being designed with the capacity to more than double in size in the future.

Ben E. Keith Foods currently employs 184 people at its facility in Elba and intends to hire 82 more employees at the second facility.

“I welcome the expansion and the jobs and opportunities it will bring to Coffee County,” Ivey said in a statement. “Ben E. Keith has been a wonderful industrial addition to southeast Alabama since coming here in 2016. I am pleased to award this grant to support the further expansion and job opportunities for Alabamians.”

ADECA will be administering the grant from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

“Certainly no one is more focused on jobs and Alabama’s economy than Gov. Ivey, and she realizes what an asset Ben E. Keith is to Coffee County and the Wiregrass region,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA is pleased to join with Gov. Ivey, Ben E. Keith Co. and the Coffee County Commission in this project that will have a tremendous impact on the area.”

The Coffee County Commission has also pledged $164,050 to the infrastructure project.