Mom’s Meals will open facility in North Jackson

Staff report

NORTH JACKSON

The Mahoning Valley will begin 2012 the same way it spent most of 2011: by creating new jobs.

Mom’s Meals, a fresh-food production company, is putting the finishing touches on its new 20,000-square-foot facility on Commissioner Drive in North Jackson in the former home of Heather Creek Foods, which closed earlier this year.

“Ohio is one of our larger states,” said Rick Anderson, president of Mom’s Meals, noting the company’s 1,800 Ohio customers. “The closer we can make the food, the better it is for everybody.”

The facility, set to open shortly after New Year’s, will create at least 50 new jobs — both hourly and salary — in administration, cooking, packaging, shipping and receiving.

Des Moines, Iowa-based Mom’s Meals produces and delivers fresh meals for senior citizens and those who are diabetic, are gluten-sensitive or have other special dietary needs.

A roster of 45 different meals is available in 10-, 14- or 21-meal packages and cost $5.99 per meal plus shipping.

“Instead of taking a frozen meal that takes 8 to 12 minutes to defrost and cook, with our fresh meal, you put it in the microwave for a minute and a half, and it’s ready to go,” Anderson said.

The company delivers several thousand meals each week to the 48 contiguous states, according to its website.