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Fairfield’s Koch Foods expansion project recognized for regional economic impact

Sue Kiesewetter

FAIRFIELD – Butler County’s ninth-largest employer is one of five companies receiving the James A. Wuenker Growth Award from the Regional Economic Development Initiative Cincinnati.

Redi Cincinnati, southwest Ohio’s economic development arm, is the first point of contact for many companies locating or growing in a 16-county region in Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana.

Named in honor of James A. Wuenker, a respected economic developer who helped shape the future of the region, the awards are given annually to projects announced in the previous year that significantly impacted the economic vitality of the Cincinnati region.

Last September Koch Foods announced a $220 million expansion to its chicken processing packaging plant in Fairfield.

The 402,140-square-foot building would initially add two production lines to the existing seven along with 400 new jobs. It is expected to open later this year.