Food Processing
The ingredients to grow your food processing and packaging business.
Food Processing
Industries
Have your cake … and eat it too. It’s possible in the Northeast Ohio Region.
Food manufacturing is a thriving cluster in Northeast Ohio, with more than 500 food processors – including big names like H.J. Heinz, Nestlé USA, J.M. Smucker and Pillsbury, as well as many smaller firms – supplying food and beverage products to consumers worldwide. The region also offers more than 200 food packaging providers, with an emerging specialty in sustainable packaging materials.
A trained talent pool of more than 23,000 food manufacturing and production workers, easy access to raw materials and suppliers, and an abundant supply of fresh water from Lake Erie make Northeast Ohio an ideal location for food processing businesses. The region gains additional strength from resources across Ohio, which is home to the complete food value chain, including industry-leading research and development, essential inputs, processing and manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, and transportation. With partners throughout the state, the Northeast Ohio Region is able to bring food and beverage products to market efficiently and cost-effectively.
Download our Food Processing resource guide and learn more about the Food Processing industry within the Northeast Ohio Region.
Northeast Ohio boasts an appetizing environment for food processing and packaging companies.
The region offers speed, low risk, and low capital and operation costs to ensure maximum return on investment.
Food Processing Ecosystem in Northeast Ohio
Company
Access to Talent
Partners
R&D Resources
Infrastructure
23,000+
23,000+ food manufacturing and production workers
85%
85% industry GRP growth (2008 – 2017)
top 10
Top 10 food processing regions in the U.S.
14 million
14 million acres of farmland
330 million
330 million people reached within a day by truck
Available Sites
North Jackson – McCluggage
A rectangle-shaped 92-acre site on three parcels for sale by a private owner, this property is half wooded and half farm land. Currently zoned as agricultural, the site sits along a divided access road between two industrial areas.
Nelson Sand & Gravel
The Nelson Sand & Gravel site, located halfway between Cleveland, OH and Erie, PA, is approximately 94 acres that can be subdivided as needed and is owned by a single owner.
Louisville Industrial Park
This site was home to the former Chesapeake/Encino Energy Corp office. It has over 170 contiguous, developable acres expandable up to 261 acres.
JAB Property, Ashtabula
The JAB property, located on just over 80 acres of publicly owned land in Ashtabula, is a prime site for industrial development.
Cuyahoga Valley Industrial Center
The Cuyahoga Valley Industrial Center is adjacent to I-77.
Food Processing Workforce Data
Top 10 Food Processing Employers in Northeast Ohio
| Company | Employees |
|---|---|
| Nestle USA | 3,184 |
| The J.M. Smucker Co. | 1,822 |
| Shearer’s Foods LLC | 1,171 |
| Panera Bread | 1,100 |
| Great Lakes Cheese | 1,020 |
| Kraft Heinz Company | 700 |
| Sandridge Food Corp. | 650 |
| Fresh Mark | 500 |
| Schwebel Baking Company | 450 |
| Snack Alliance | 400 |
Additional information including occupation code, wages, and entry level education is available upon request from Team NEO.
Top 10 Food Processing Occupations in Northeast Ohio
| Occupation | Employees |
|---|---|
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 2,707 |
| Food Batchmakers | 1,959 |
| Bakers | 1,243 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,101 |
| Slaughterers and Meat Packers | 1,081 |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | 872 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 853 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | 702 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 655 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | 632 |
9.3K+
Certificates
12.3K+
Associate’s Degrees
21K+
Bachelor’s Degrees
9.3K+
Graduate Degrees
Colleges, universities, and education providers offering food processing related areas of study.
Case Study
Great Lakes Cheese
Award-winning, premier manufacturer and packer of natural and processed bulk, shredded and sliced cheeses, expanded in Northeast Ohio.
