U.S. Rep. Fred Keller, R-12, and state Rep. David Rowe, R-85, toured the facility on Friday with owner Murat Hokka and general manager Johnathan Weber as well as Innovative Manufacturing Center’s Russ Lawrence. The two legislators saw how the products were made and the expansion of the facility.
“This is a fine example of what a business owner looks like in America,” said Keller. “Someone who cares about the people who work on the team, someone who cares about the community, someone who cares about the sustainability of the environment around them.”
Keller said he likes to stay in touch with businesses in the community so they’re not just “a dot on the map.”
Penn Dairy, located at 7199 County Line Road, Winfield, is a specialized manufacturer with a large production capacity that uses a combination of traditional and innovative methods to produce dairy products, including cheese and yogurt. They work with many private label customers and partners in co-packing.
The expansion and new equipment are being paid for by a combination of Hokka investing $2 million into the facility as well as a $500,000 Pennsylvania Dairy Investment Program grant from 2019.
The company has 30 employees and seeks to hire an additional 10 employees, said Hokka.
Rowe said the entrepreneurial spirit is alive in America.
“Private sector business owners like Penn Dairy who are able to invest not only in their business but the lives of their employees and employees’ families are a testament to how we can raise people up in Pennsylvania and the United States,” said Rowe.
