POCATELLO, IDAHO — Amy’s Kitchen, a privately held maker of organic meals and snacks, has purchased a former Heinz plant in Pocatello to expand its kitchen operations. The 500,000-square-foot facility is expected to be operational by December.

“We’re excited for this opportunity to immediately begin increasing our capacity,” said Andy Berliner, chief executive officer and co-founder of Petaluma, Calif.-based Amy’s. “We’ve experienced double-digit growth in the past year, and this move is the perfect complement to our long-term growth efforts we’ve already initiated in Goshen, N.Y., as well as expansions in Medford, Ore., and Santa Rosa, Calif.”

To leverage Idaho’s tax reimbursement incentive, Amy’s will add 200 new full-time positions initially with plans to hire more than 1,000 employees during the 15-year term of the incentive.

Amy’s uses certified organic ingredients sourced from organic farms near the company’s production plants in California and Oregon. The products are Non-GMO Project verified and contain no hydrogenated fats, meat, fish, shellfish, poultry, eggs or peanuts. Products include frozen entrees, canned soups, jarred sauces, candy bars and cookies.

“Amy’s Kitchen is a growing company, and we couldn’t be happier with their decision to invest in Bannock county and bring hundreds of good jobs to the area,” said Howard Manwaring, chairman of the Bannock County Board of County Commissioners. “Coupled with the potential opportunities this may create for local growers, it’s a win-win for everyone involved.”