OWENSBORO, Ky. (March 17, 2025) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear joined local officials and leaders of Mizkan America, an industry-leading producer of pasta sauces and vinegars, to break ground on the company’s $156 million expansion project in Owensboro, which will create 44 new quality Kentucky jobs.
“The tremendous growth we are seeing within Kentucky’s manufacturing industry has been a crucial component of our surging economy,” said Gov. Beshear. “Mizkan America’s decision to reinvest in the commonwealth and our communities shows that our New Kentucky Home is the best place for business. I look forward to the company’s continued success here in Kentucky.”
The project includes expansion of Mizkan’s Owensboro facilities by approximately 320,000 square feet, which will bring the company’s operational space to nearly 1 million square feet. The investment will support building improvements, new machinery and equipment, IT upgrades, a new manufacturing line and warehousing space that will allow the company to manufacture Holland House, cooking wine, Mizkan Asian sauces and vinegars and Nakano rice vinegar at the Owensboro plant for the first time. The upgrades will help Mizkan meet customer demand and strengthen its position as a market leader.
“Our factory in Owensboro has been in business for almost 50 years and currently makes around 1 million jars of pasta sauce every day,” said Koichi Yuki, CEO of Mizkan America. “Our Owensboro team has been a huge contributor to Mizkan America’s growth and success over the years. We really believe that the future for our business is bright in Owensboro, and we feel privileged to be part of this wonderful community.”
Mizkan America’s Owensboro team has supported numerous local charities over the years, most notably the Cliff Hagen Boys & Girls Club, events supporting those with special needs like Night to Shine and the GRADSA Buddy Walk, as well as providing pasta sauce donations to God’s Outreach, which helps address hunger at the local level. The Ragú brand, made in Owensboro, has also partnered with international charity Lasagna Love to celebrate National Lasagna Day.
The Mizkan Group is a privately held international food manufacturer headquartered in Handa, Japan, with a heritage that spans more than 200 years. Mizkan Group is women-owned and -operated, currently by members of the eighth and ninth generations of the founding Nakano family. The Mizkan Group offers a lineup of well-known international brands under the Mizkan umbrella and is a leader in the liquid condiment category, with major operations in Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom. Mizkan America, based in Mount Prospect, Illinois, is one of the leading makers of pasta sauce and vinegar products in the United States. Mizkan America maintains 12 manufacturing facilities that serve the retail, foodservice, specialty Asian and food ingredient trade channels. Mizkan America brands include: Ragú, Bertolli, Holland House, Nakano and Mizkan. The company is the exclusive distributor for Angostura bitters in North America.
Daviess County Judge/Executive Charlie Castlen is excited to see the company continue to grow in the community: “It is impressive to think about the millions of jars of Ragú pasta sauce made every year in our community and shipped around the country. We are grateful that Mizkan selected their Owensboro facility for this new project, cementing their long-term presence here. Daviess County is a great place to do business with a talented workforce ready to support further economic growth. Mizkan is one of our top employers, and we look forward to their continued success in our community.”
Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson noted the positive impact the company has on the local community: “Mizkan has been an invaluable asset to our community, providing a positive work environment and offering countless opportunities for their dedicated employees to build a future and support their families. We are incredibly proud to have them as a part of our community.”
Claude Bacon, president and CEO of the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corp., highlighted the significance of today’s event: “A groundbreaking ceremony is more than just the start of construction, it represents the dedication, vision and hard work that builds on a legacy. With this expansion, Mizkan is deepening its roots in Greater Owensboro for decades to come.”
Mizkan America’s investment and job creation build on the best five-year period for economic growth in state history.
Since the beginning of his administration, Gov. Beshear has announced more than 1,100 private-sector new-location and expansion projects totaling over $35 billion in announced investments, creating more than 60,300 jobs. This is the highest investment figure secured during the tenure of any governor in the commonwealth’s history and $14 billion more than the next highest total.
The robust job creation has been accompanied by rising wages across the commonwealth. Since 2022, the average incentivized hourly wage has topped $26 in three consecutive years for the first time.
Gov. Beshear has announced some of the largest economic development projects in state history, which have solidified Kentucky as the electric vehicle battery production capital of the United States: Ford Motor Co. and SK On’s transformative $5.8 billion, 5,000-job BlueOval SK Battery Park in Hardin County; AESC’s $2 billion, 2,000-job gigafactory project in Warren County; Toyota’s $1.3 billion investment in Scott County; and Shelbyville Battery Manufacturing’s $712 million investment, creating 1,572 jobs in Shelby County, among others.
The Governor’s administration also secured the largest General Fund budget surplus and Rainy Day Fund. In 2023, Kentucky recorded over 2 million jobs filled for the first time ever and has stayed above that number ever since.
Kentucky also secured rating increases from major credit rating agencies Fitch Ratings, S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service.
Site Selection magazine recently ranked Kentucky in the top five nationally and second in the South Central region for economic development projects per capita in its 2024 Governor’s Cup rankings. Last April, Site Selection placed Kentucky second in the South Central region and in the top 10 nationally in its 2024 Prosperity Cup ranking, which recognizes state-level economic development agencies for their success in landing capital investment projects.
Gov. Beshear announced a Supply Kentucky initiative with the goal of boosting job growth, reducing costs and providing more security in the supply chains of our Kentucky companies. The Governor also announced a new initiative, called New Kentucky Home, to increase economic investment, attain and attract talent, and increase tourism across the state.
To encourage investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) in July 2024 preliminarily approved an incentive agreement with the company under the Kentucky Business Investment program.
Additionally, KEDFA approved Mizkan for tax incentives through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act (KEIA). KEIA allows approved companies to recoup Kentucky sales and use tax on construction costs, building fixtures, equipment used in research and development and electronic processing.
By meeting its annual targets over the agreement term, the company can be eligible to keep a portion of the new tax revenue it generates. The company may claim eligible incentives against its income tax liability and/or wage assessments.
In addition, Mizkan can receive resources from Kentucky’s workforce service providers. Those include no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job-training incentives.
For more information on Mizkan America, visit mizkan.com.
A detailed community profile for Daviess County can be viewed here.
###