The Development Authority has been asked by AllergyFree Foods Inc. to finance a $12 million expansion of the firm’s Dawson County facility. 

The authority’s board of directors considered the request yesterday during their regular monthly meeting.

AllergyFree Foods is a major supplier of allergy free food products both in bulk and consumer ready form. The Florida based company partners with PrimePak Foods and Pacific Cheese in offering healthy allergy free alternatives to the marketplace.

The expansion will be of the existing AllergyFree Food’s 32,000 square foot facility located in the Hightower Industrial Park near Ga. 400. 

The expansion will address new and expanded contracts secured by AllergyFree Foods to provide their products across the southeastern United States. 

In addition, the firm will construct a new spring water bottling facility on the site to tap into a growing market for pure water for both the consumer and institutions desiring to utilize pure water in their food processing facilities.

“This is a major expansion announcement for Dawson County,” said Charlie Auvermann executive director of the Development Authority.  “More importantly this is a market that is growing and addresses a segment of the food industry focused on improving the health and well-being of children and adults. A number of medical studies are pointing to the belief that known allergens may contribute to autism and other conditions.  This expansion puts Dawson County at the forefront in a growing health industry.”

The company will use the expanded Dawson facility to manufacture and distribute various food products that are free of the top eight food allergies recognized in the U.S.

In addition to its extremely successful frozen protein line, AllergyFree Foods will expand into dry goods, cheese alternatives and signature entrée meals.

“With afflictions such as autism on the rise, we as a company decided to rise to the occasion and create an environment that is 100 percent free of contamination,” said AllergyFree Foods Inc. Chief Executive Officer David McMahon. “It took a lot of time and effort to get this facility right. But we did it and it’s quite a feeling to know that we are living up to both our name and our mission.”

The Development Authority of Dawson County commonly issues private revenue bonds to companies to help facilitate expansion or new product development.

The bonds do not obligate taxpayers in any way and are considered by both the State and the IRS to be private issues.

The Dawson County Authority recently concluded expansion bonds for another high-tech state of the art industry, SleeveCo Inc. 

Dawson based SleeveCo is an industry leader in the manufacturing of labeling sleeves used on products found across America and overseas. 

Auvermann indicated that several other firms are considering bonds for expansion.

The study also stated that one in 40 is allergic to milk, one in 50 to eggs and one in 100 has a reaction to peanuts. 

The food allergy problem has been publicized by many people across the country including celebrities such as Jenny McCarthy, Toni Braxton and Dallas Cowboy Tony Romo.  

Additional information can be found at: www.allergyfreefoods.com., www.developdawson.org, or by contacting Auvermann at (706) 265-8761 or Adrian Glover, vice president of marketing and information services for AllergyFree Foods Inc. at (706) 265-1317.