FROM THE CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG


For Immediate Release

Contact: Cindy Margiotta, Economic Development Manager 727-893-7100


BREAKING GROUND ON A NEW BUSINESS IN MIDTOWN

St. Petersburg, Fla. (March 18, 2005) Euro-Bake, a wholesale German bakery, broke ground today on a new, $8 million facility in Midtown St. Petersburg. Located at 1962 Third Ave. S., the 54,000-square-foot building will be more than twice as large as its current facility. The expansion will also allow the company to double its workforce in the next three years to 150 employees, and represents additional private investment in the Midtown area.

The city of St. Petersburg assisted the company in its expansion plans with land assembly, environmental issues and permitting. Owner Harty Gerhard said he chose to expand his company in St. Petersburg because of easy access to I-275 and the local workforce. The cooperation I have received from the city has been just incredible, he said.

Mayor Rick Baker assisted in the groundbreaking. Today we are continuing the progress to revitalize this integral part of St. Petersburg and proving that businesses that locate in Midtown will be successful.

Euro-Bake currently produces 18,000 to 20,000 cases a week of 164 different baked goods in three shifts to meet the demands of buyers like Walt Disney World, Cisco, and fine hotels such as the Renaissance Vinoy Resort. Euro-Bakes goods are also exported to accounts as far away as Hawaii and Costa Rica. The new structure will feature state-of-the-art baking equipment and refrigerated storage facilities.

The company was created in 1993 with only three employees. Mr. Gerhard founded Euro-Bake in a quest to reproduce the fine baked goods he enjoyed growing up in his native Germany. Euro-Bake follows stringent German baking rules and imports raw materials from Europe to maintain quality control.

For more information, contact Cindy Margiotta, economic development manager, at 727-893-7100.

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No. 05-23

Robert Danielson, Marketing Manager
City of St. Petersburg
OFFICE 727-893-7467
FAX 727-892-5372
CELL 727-580-0791
EMAIL robert.danielson@stpete.org