BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY — King’s Hawaiian rolls will soon be made in Indiana.
According to Irresistible Food Groups, the parent company of King’s Hawaiian, a 300,000-square-foot bakery is set to open in late 2026 or early 2027.
We are very pleased to extend a warm welcome to King’s Hawaiian and celebrate their decision to establish roots in Indiana,” Ann Lathrop, Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) chief strategy officer, said. “The company’s new facility will not only create high-quality jobs and competitive wages but also bring prosperity and robust growth into the community, benefitting Hoosiers for decades to come.”
According to Irresistible Food Groups, the facility will employ 150 people with an hourly wage of $29.94. The bakery will be located on the southeast corner of Exit 76 on I-65 near Indiana Premium Outlets of Edinburgh.
“After a thorough, multi-state search, we found the Columbus, Indiana area to offer us the best solution for our manufacturing and logistics needs. More than that, this area feels like home to us,” Joe Leonardo, King’s Hawaiian SVP and Chief Operations Officer, said. “It’s a great community that we are excited to be a part of and work hand-in-hand with all the wonderful things that are happening here.”
King’s Hawaiian will invest up to $180 million to construct and equip the facility. The Bartholomew County Council will allocate up to $2.7 million from its Rainy-Day Fund to finance water, sewer and road improvements the facility may require.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation committed $1.8 million to the facility in incentive-based tax credits, but Irresistible Food Group says they will not be able to claim the credits unless Hoosiers are hired at the facility.
“King’s Hawaiian and Irresistible Foods Group will be a tremendous addition to Bartholomew County and the Columbus, Indiana area,” Jason Hester, president of Greater Columbus Economic Development Corporation, said. “They precisely represent the type of high-paying, community-minded employer we love to work with, and food and beverage manufacturing is one of our top industry targets, for a true win/win project.”
King’s Hawaiian was founded in Hawaii over 70-years-ago. The company expanded its operations into Georgia and California in 2011. The Indiana factory will be the company’s first operations in the Midwest.
