Haverhill, MA – Dacon Corporation has completed construction on a 135,000sf facility for Monogram Foods, a manufacturer of value-added food products, for its new location in Creek Brook Park in Haverhill.
(l-r): Kevin Quinn, CEO, Dacon; Mayor James Fiorentini, Kevin McCall; Karl Schledwitz; and Chuck Reilly
Founded in 2004, the Memphis-based Monogram has experienced a 620% sales rate increase and topped $1 billion in revenue last year, consistently making it one of the Inc. 5000’s fastest growing companies. This facility is dedicated to pre-assembled sandwich manufacturing and is Monogram’s fourth Massachusetts location. The firm is bringing 355 positions to this location through 2023.
With a business model based on quick responsivity in product innovation, private label and brand development, Monogram’s portfolio entails 10 meat snack brands spanning hot dogs, sausages, beef jerky and bacon, along with one licensed line, Butterball. Distribution is broadly spaced across retail, convenience, club, food service, military and drug store channels.
Monogram Foods facility
This facility’s design optimizes production to meet consumer demand with six areas – freezer, cold storage, cool dock, dry goods storage, production and offices – configured for ease in employee access. Critical for operational efficiency, process engineering includes a state-of-the-art ammonia refrigeration system. Loading dock areas and parking have been configured to maximize a restricted site plan.
Karl Schledwitz, CEO of Monogram, said, “This facility is created to fulfill increased demand by our valued customers across the country. Dacon has been an excellent and innovative partner from start to finish. We are proud of this project and proud to be part of the Haverhill community.”
Paradigm Properties is the owner and developer of the project. Kevin McCall, CEO of Paradigm, said, “Paradigm is excited to have helped Monogram significantly expand its operations in Massachusetts. Through a challenging Covid environment, our contractor, Dacon Corporation, led a team effort with tremendous support from the City of Haverhill, our lender, LowellFive, and dedicated subcontractors.”
Cooking class
Monogram, Paradigm Partners and Dacon partnered with Groundwork Lawrence to mark the completion of the facility with a $20,000 “Growing Community” program. Groundwork Lawrence is a nonprofit civic organization that focuses on environmental improvement, fresh food access, youth/adult education and employment initiatives to cities north of Boston. To support its mission of changing places and changing lives, 40 participants will receive a cooking and nutrition class, along with $100 in Market Basket gift cards and $100 in Groundwork Farmer’s Market gift cards to cook the recipes learned for their families. To encourage long-term food sustainability, 525 plants will be purchased for Groundwork’s 12 community gardens and a stipend will be provided to winterize the greenhouse.
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Lauren Nowicki, chief communications officer at Dacon Corporation, said, “Dacon’s philanthropy Designed with Dignity believes that local organizations empower change on an impactful level equivalent to large scale charities. They create impressive and measurable differences in the lives of those communities in which we build. Groundwork Lawrence’s work is both extensive and remarkably effective for building civic responsibility, economic enhancement and productivity.”
“Groundwork Lawrence creates building blocks for community through its programs in civic, environmentalism and healthy food initiatives. By providing current food support and longer-term garden sustainability, the Growing Community program addresses several needs. We appreciate the thoughtfulness and generosity that Monogram, Paradigm and Dacon extended in creating this comprehensive program,” said Heather McMann, executive director of Groundwork Lawrence.
