The former naval commissary building in Topsham will become the home of two food manufacturing companies, Maine Harvest Co. and Wicked Joe Coffee.
The building and the adjacent 5.6 acres of land at the Topsham Commerce Park were purchased by JHR Development LLC from the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, which is redeveloping the Brunswick Naval Air Station. The area was formerly the Topsham Annex of the air station, which closed in 2011.
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The purchase price was not disclosed.
Maine Harvest, which lightly processes and freezes locally grown produce, aims to create eight full-time jobs at the former naval commissary.
Meanwhile, Wicked Joe Coffee, which roasts premium coffee from around the world, sells wholesale to large grocery chains and smaller specialty stores. The company, based in Brunswick, estimated it will add nine full-time jobs in Topsham. That will expand its current workforce of 12 people.
“The town of Topsham is extremely pleased to welcome JHR Development to the community. They are an established, innovative developer with a great track record for envisioning and realizing unique, high-quality projects,” said John Shattuck, Topsham’s director of economic and community development.
JHR Development built Maine Street Station, a mixed-use complex in Brunswick that includes the Inn at Brunswick Station.
“It has been a privilege to work with the town of Topsham and (the redevelopment authority) to make this very worthwhile project a reality. I am excited by the prospects of creating a food hub in Topsham and look forward to the future success of both Maine Harvest Company and Wicked Joe Coffee,” said J. Hilary Rockett Jr., owner of JHR Development.
The development company aims to have both tenants operating out of the site in early 2014.
Jessica Hall can be contacted at 791-6316 or at:
jhall@pressherald.com
Twitter: @JessicaHallPPH
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