Submitted Photo Wells Enterprises plans on replacing its current manufacturing plant with a new plant and new lines. Up to 200 new jobs will be added when the project is finished.

The County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency Board of Directors approved incentives to Wells Enterprises Inc. on Tuesday. The incentives, which include a Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreement and Sales Tax Exemption, will assist the company with a multi-million renovation project of its existing facility in Dunkirk.

In August 2023, Wells Enterprises announced plans for the expansion of its Dunkirk manufacturing facility, located at 1 Ice Cream Dr. The facility plays an important role in the company’s expansion plans for the company’s national manufacturing network of its Blue Bunny, Halo Top, Bomb Pop, and Blue Ribbon Classics brands. The expansion is anticipated to more than double the facility’s current production output and help support their continued plans for growth in novelty and packaged ice cream, while enabling future innovation. It will result in the retention of more than 400 jobs and, once completed, add another 200 jobs.

The Ferrero Group recently acquired Wells Enterprises, its operations, and its ice cream brands.

The two family-owned businesses have a strong history of success. Ferrero, which was founded in 1946, has grown to become a global leader in sweet-packaged foods, including confectionary, ice cream, biscuits, and snacks. Wells has become the world’s largest family owned and managed ice cream company since it was founded in 1913 as a dairy delivery business.

“We are extremely excited to build on the strength of our team in Dunkirk and continue to work with the community to grow and expand our operations here. The investment in Dunkirk illustrates our passion to provide high-quality premium ice cream products that bring joy to consumers around the world. The planned expansion also reinforces our dedication to our team, consumers, and the community as a critical part of the long-term future of our company,” said Liam Killeen, CEO of Wells Enterprises.

The CCIDA-approved PILOT is for 10 years and will result in payments to the affected taxing jurisdictions (City of Dunkirk, Dunkirk School District, and Chautauqua County) totaling $2,219,067, with Wells Enterprises saving $450,900 in property tax payments during that time period. The sales tax exemption will total $11.5 million. Based on a CCIDA Cost Benefit Analysis, the total local economic benefit of the project is $490.8 million.

“This is a game changer for the County and Region, and I am proud that the CCIDA was able to assist Wells Enterprises in bringing this exciting project to fruition. They have been a great partner, and I am grateful that they recognize the quality of the workforce in Dunkirk and chose to make their investment here in our community versus elsewhere,” said Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development and Chief Executive Officer of the CCIDA. “Our team has worked diligently with the Wells team and the City of Dunkirk over the past several years, which has culminated in this substantial project; the benefits are going to be widespread.”

In addition to the assistance provided by CCIDA, New York State is also supporting the project with up to $10 million in Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits and a $6 million grant from Empire State Development in exchange for job creation and capital investment commitments.

“The City of Dunkirk is excited for Wells Enterprises 21st Century rebuild and expansion. We are pleased for the hundreds of hard-working employees now at Wells – and the hundreds to be added with the planned expansion – who can plan and build on a generation’s worth of good-paying jobs. These jobs will help populate our schools, create additional value in our city, and allow the employees and their families to live, work, and thrive in our community,” said Dunkirk Mayor Wilfred Rosas.