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Gov. Andy Beshear joined state and local officials and leaders from pretzel manufacturer Stellar Snacks on Tuesday to announce the single-largest economic development project for West Louisville in decades.

Stellar Snacks has committed to investing $137 million and creating 350 full-time Kentucky jobs over the next 10 years, contingent upon final approval of state incentives by the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority. They may include support for rail access to the building and per-job grants with added benefits for the hiring of individuals who reside in the nine neighborhoods that comprise the West End Opportunity area.

Stellar Snacks is the first woman-owned pretzel manufacturer in the United States, with the project establishing the company’s newest and largest industrial pretzel bakery in Louisville in an existing 434,000-square-foot building at 1391 Dixie Highway.

During a press conference outside the building, Beshear noted, “Not only are we getting a growth-minded company that is creating hundreds of quality jobs in the area, but a company with leaders who truly want to engrain themselves in this wonderful community for years to come.  Stellar Snacks is a perfect fit in so many ways, and I cannot wait to see the company grow and prosper here well into the future.”

Jobs created at the Louisville operation will consist of pretzel-makers – including master pretzel-maker and apprentice roles – production team members, engineering and maintenance managers, mechanics, technicians, receptionists, and human resources assistants.

Elisabeth Galvin, co-founder of Stellar Snacks along with her daughter Gina, said. “We are proud to announce that we have selected Louisville as our home in the Midwest.  The outcome will be an important success story for our team and the people of the great state of Kentucky.  We can’t emphasize enough that our goal is to provide career opportunities and positive impact in Louisville, especially in our neighborhood, so we can flourish together in the years to come.”

Gina Galvin said, “When my mom and I landed in Louisville, something finally clicked – it felt like destiny.  Beyond our passion for baking delicious, high-quality snacks, we believe every pretzel has a purpose.  That’s why we commission emerging artists to design one-of-a-kind artwork for our bags and engage with the arts community to inspire creativity in the world around us.”

Work on the facility is scheduled to begin in March 2024 with the baking of the first products there six months later.