Mobile-based FGP Holding, which owns Frios Gourmet Pops and FGP Manufacturing LLC, announced plans today for a rapid expansion and production ramp-up, along with a move into the former Crown Products facility at 3107 Halls Mill Road in Alabama’s “Port City.”

The project features a capital investment of more than $20 million and is expected to create 200 full-time jobs over the next three years, according to the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.

“Having a Mobile-based company expand in our community has always been a goal of our economic development efforts,” said David Rodgers, vice president of economic development at the Mobile Chamber. “The success that FGP has had in Mobile is a testament to the company’s leadership and local support.”

Frios Gourmet Pops was founded in a garage in Gadsden in 2015 and quickly began franchising. In December 2018, Mobile native Cliff Kennedy bought the company and moved its headquarters to Mobile.

The expansion will boost the company’s production space from 30,000 square feet to 130,000 square feet.

Frios Gourmet Pops owner Cliff Kennedy holds the first pop off the company’s production line in Mobile back in 2021. The company is growing with a $20 million expansion. (Frios)

“Mobile is the perfect place to grow our dream of being a dynamic player in the frozen novelty industry,” Kennedy said. “Through the economic support and strategic location of our city, I feel lucky to be able to make this dream a reality in my hometown.

“I am excited for the future and the possibilities that lie ahead,” Kennedy said.

Gov. Kay Ivey praised the company’s growth plans.

“I’m thrilled to see the entrepreneurial success that Cliff Kennedy has achieved in Mobile and excited that the growth of his enterprise is translating into new jobs and opportunities in his hometown,” Ivey said. “This is great news for the community and for the state because it shows what’s possible in Alabama.”

Supporting growth

FGP is a manufacturer of private label and co-packed frozen novelties for national brands and retailers. It produces stick products, cones and sandwiches for companies that are looking to outsource their manufacturing.

Frios Gourmet Pops is a mobile franchise company that sells gourmet popsicles from tie-dye-wrapped vans. It has more than 50 locations across the country and is expected to have more than 100 by the end of 2022.

“Alabama offers an attractive environment for all kinds of people who dream of building a business and creating a legacy with a successful venture,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “That is exactly what Cliff Kennedy has done, and I look forward to witnessing the next chapter of his company’s growth in Mobile.”

Mayor Sandy Stimpson said FGP’s expansion highlights how Mobile can support entrepreneurs as they start and grow a business.

“We are thrilled to support the expansion of FGP, which will add 200 new jobs and continue to set this locally headquartered company up for future success and expansion,” he said.

This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website.