SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — A growing prepared meal delivery service is expanding its operations into South Jersey.
Freshly will bring nearly 350 jobs to a 234,000-square-foot facility in East Greenwich, Gloucester County. The facility will start shipments in February 2022.
The expansion will be Freshly’s second distribution facility. The other is in Linden, New Jersey, while its corporate headquarters is in New York City.
The service, which delivers fresh, prepared meals, will occupy space in an East Greenwich warehouse that’s part of a new industrial complex just off I-295.
“There’s actually going to be two residents that will be inside,” said East Greenwich Mayor Dale Archer. “There is a company called Elite Flower that is going to be utilizing part of the space, and then the remainder of the space will be utilized by Freshly.”
Archer said this is the beginning of a long-term plan to increase commercial tax revenue.
“We have been able to attract three brand-new light industrial warehouses. Each one of these warehouses is on a 30-year pilot program with the township of East Greenwich, which is going to generate well over $30 million over its lifespan,” he explained.
Archer said that gives homeowners property tax relief and also adds more township services.
“South Jersey is the perfect place for a leading provider of fresh, healthy prepared meals to open another facility,” Gov. Phil Murphy added in a statement. “We have seen how important food delivery services have become during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we look forward to working with Freshly to support its growth, as well as bring new jobs to the region.”
Archer is also looking forward to breaking ground on at least four more warehouses later this year or early next year.
“We’re extremely proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish,” he continued, “and we’re also excited about the different opportunities and revenues that will be coming forward with the additional new warehouses that are pretty close on the horizon.”