More Than A Bakery Breaks Ground on Kentucky Manufacturing Facility

Today marked a very special day for More Than A Bakery, LLC, as the company broke ground on its brand new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Versailles, Ky. More Than A Bakery is an affiliate of Richmond Baking Co., the oldest family-owned cookie and cracker bakery in the United States. To commemorate the occasion, a private ceremony was held at the site of the facility in which cookie crumbs were appropriately turned as opposed to the traditional dirt at a groundbreaking ceremony.

Situated on more than 100 acres, the 250,000 s.f. facility will manufacture products including cookies, crackers, crumbs and inclusions for customers ranging from Fortune 100 companies to smaller, regional businesses.

Gray Construction was selected to design and build the facility, which is expected to be operational in late 2017. As a nationally ranked engineering, architecture, and construction firm with more than 56 years of experience, Gray has designed and built nearly 200 facilities for the Food & Beverage market across the United States.

The project is slated to have a substantial impact on Kentucky’s thriving manufacturing sector, as well as the state’s economic development. Within a few years of completion, More Than A Bakery’s new facility is expected to create more than 300 jobs.

The ceremony included remarks by Governor Matt Bevin, State Representative James Kay, Versailles Mayor Brian Traugott, Woodford County Judge/Executive John Coyle and owners of the family business, Bill and Rob Quigg. Several Gray team members were also in attendance.

“We are honored to join our customer More Than A Bakery today for this special event,” said President and CEO of Gray, Stephen Gray. “This project represents an exciting milestone not only for our growing food and beverage market, but for Kentucky’s rising manufacturing market as well.”

More Than A Bakery is affiliated with Richmond Baking, the oldest family owned cookie and cracker bakery in the United States, dating back to 1902. Richmond Baking has facilities in Richmond, IN and Alma, GA where capacity constraints could limit the company’s continued growth without the creation of More Than A Bakery.

Gray Construction, is a nationally ranked engineering, architecture and construction firm with over 56 years of experience in manufacturing, automotive, food and beverage, distribution, hospitality and retail facility construction. Currently, Gray has several large projects that are underway or recently completed including: a Mercedes-Benz manufacturing facility in Vance, Ala.; a fresh pork processing facility in Coldwater, Michigan for Clemens Food Group; a specialty pet food kitchen and distribution center for Champion Petfoods in Auburn, Ky.; a utility vehicle manufacturing facility for Kubota Manufacturing of America Corporation in Gainesville, Ga.; an expansion to Wrigley’s Yorkville, Ill. campus; and a manufacturing facility for Weber Metals in Paramount, Calif.

If you have food and beverage plant construction needs, please contact Phil Seale, executive vice president, Manufacturing/Food & Beverage Groups at pseale@gray.com. Or, contact Tyler Cundiff, director, Business Development at tcundiff@gray.com.