DAWSONVILLE, GA. — Gold Creek Foods LLC, a further-processed poultry company, signed a letter of intent this week to purchase the 340,000 sq.-ft. Mohawk Industries carpet manufacturing plant in Dahlonega to expand its food operations. Gold Creek Foods is a subsidiary of privately held Agora Inc., also of Dawsonville. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, although state and local government incentives played a role in this planned purchase, the company relayed.

"The manufacturing site in Dahlonega is a natural expansion for us as it is in the heart of the poultry industry and located adjacent to a major interstate spur. It also has a suitable workforce and a civic history with the industry," Mark A. Sosebee, co-founder and chief executive officer, told MEAT&POULTRY.com. "Economic conditions of the carpet and homebuilding industries led to the closing of the facility for which we've signed our letter of intent to purchase. Our expansion initiative actually culminated a two-year, multi-state search, which pre-dated the current economic climate. We realize that per capita consumption of poultry will continue to rise, as it consistently has, and we seek to position ourselves with specialty chicken products for a consuming public."

"We expect to have some production in the (Dahlonega) plant by the end of 2009 and about 100 new jobs," said Michael Farmer, executive vice president and co-founder. "With so much in place already, this plant could have the capacity to employ more than 1,000 at full production."

Founded in 2003, Gold Creek Foods produces specialty food products for restaurant, retail, institutional and grocery customers. Mr. Sosebee, a 20-year veteran of the industry, said more than 600 people are employed at the Dawsonville facility.

"(Gold Creek’s) unique applications and recipes of breading and marination in southwest flavors are especially appealing to a growing taste-market share, in fact, the fastest-growing taste preference," added a company spokesman. "Through a subsidiary, we have a patent pending on a new item that incorporates crushed and/or flaked tortilla shells applied to various meats — including chicken, pork and beef."

After the legal documents are signed, architectural redesign will begin for the structural renovations, and the search for specialty equipment needed for the further processing of poultry will begin.

From: Morton G.