Empire State Development (ESD) today announced that authentic Indian cheese maker Deep Dairy Products, L.L.C., which is part of the Deep Foods Group of companies headquartered in Union Township, New Jersey, will modernize its production facility on Swift Street in the Village of Waterloo, Seneca County. As a result of the upgrades the company plans to create up to 39 new jobs over the next five years;36 jobs will be retained. The facility modernization will allow additional products to be manufactured onsite that were previously made by third party suppliers and will increase the amount of milk needed from local dairy farmers. Deep Dairy Products specializes in the making of paneer cheese, ghee and yogurts.
Empire State Development Acting Commissioner and President & CEO-designate Eric Gertler said, “Deep Dairy Products’ expansion in the Finger Lakes reflects the area’s rich agricultural resources and the success of New York State’s strategic investments in the region that will continue to grow the industry and create jobs both now and for the future.”
The Waterloo facility is currently supplying the cheese and yogurt ingredients for many of the Deep Foods frozen food entrees made at the company’s New Jersey plant. Deep Foods had previously purchased these raw materials from third party suppliers. The planned upgrade of the Seneca County facility will allow Deep Dairy Products to increase capacity beyond raw material production and start manufacturing yogurts, lassi drinks (a popular Indian yogurt beverage) and other dairy products for retail sale on a large scale under the new brand name, ‘Deep Indian Kitchen’.
The facility upgrades, which are already underway, will include the renovation of the nearly 27,000 square-foot facility and the installation of state-of-the-art machinery and equipment. Deep Dairy Products expects to complete the upgrades in late 2023.
Deep Foods Group CEO Deepak A. Amin said, “We acquired this plant in May of 2018 and are excited to now be manufacturing quality paneer cheese, yogurts and other dairy products in Waterloo. The abundant supply of high-quality local milk and Waterloo’s business friendly attitude have confirmed that last year’s purchase of this plant was the right decision and that this is the best location for us to expand our dairy product production. The incentives being provided by New York State enhanced the feasibility of this project and influenced our decision to expand and modernize the Waterloo plant rather than purchase an alternate facility or use a third party to produce our retail dairy products.”
Founded in 1977, Deep Foods Inc. and its affiliated companies employ nearly 4800 across the globe.
ESD is assisting this important project with up to $700,000 through the Excelsior Jobs Tax Credit Program in exchange for job creation commitments. The project has also been supported by the Village of Waterloo and the Seneca County Industrial Development Agency.
State Senator Pamela Helming said, “We are proud that Deep Dairy Products calls Waterloo home. Today’s expansion is great news for both Waterloo and Seneca County. Many special partners made this possible. By working together, we can continue to attract new businesses and good jobs to our community.”
Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb said, “Deep Dairy’s expansion and job-creation commitments represent a tremendous success story for the company, the Village of Waterloo, and our surrounding communities. It’s clear they recognize the positive qualities the Finger Lakes Region has to offer – a talented workforce, unique agricultural assets, and important state investments. I congratulate all stakeholders for this collaborative effort that will help Deep Dairy to continue to grow and prosper right here in Seneca County.”
Village of Waterloo Mayor John O’Connor said, “Deep Dairy represents a resurgence in large scale food production within the Village, consistent with the FLREDC’s comprehensive strategic plan. Further, Deep Dairy brings another global presence to the Village. We have worked hard in fostering a business- friendly environment and we are grateful to have Deep Dairy, which is affiliated with the largest manufacturer and distributor of Indian food products in the United States, locate a large manufacturing facility in the Village.”
Seneca County Industrial Development Agency Executive Director Robert Aronson said, “This project has been 10 years in the making and has all the hallmarks of a classic economic development story. From its start as the vacant Mott’s/ReaLemon building to its transformation to Deep Dairy Products, our IDA team and board have been proud to partner on this project all along the way. We’ve been steadfast in our support, and solid investment and job creation have been the results. Our thanks go to Waterloo Mayor Jack O’Connor, Waterloo Village Administrator Don Northrup, and especially Subodh Amin, whose introduction to Deep Foods paved the way for today’s announcement. We are excited for Deep Dairy’s future, and Seneca County’s future now that we’re officially on the global food production map.”
For more Information about Deep Foods Inc., click here.
Accelerating Finger Lakes Forward
Today’s announcement complements “Finger Lakes Forward,” the region’s comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The State has already invested more than $6.1 billion in the region since 2012 to lay the groundwork for the plan – investing in key industries including photonics, agriculture and food production, and advanced manufacturing. Today, unemployment is down to the lowest levels since before the Great Recession; personal and corporate income taxes are down; and businesses are choosing places like Rochester, Batavia and Canandaigua as a destination to grow and invest in.
Now, the region is accelerating Finger Lakes Forward with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, announced by Governor Cuomo in December 2015. The State’s $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion – and the region’s plan, as submitted, projects up to 8,200 new jobs. More information is available here.
