Hello Nature, manufacturer of organic fertilizers, biostimulants and microbials, has partnered with 6th-generation Indiana business MPS Egg Farms. The joint venture, dubbed Bionutrients, will invest nearly $50 million in Wabash, IN to build and operate a specialty fertilizer manufacturing facility that will employ 46 people.
Bionutrients will combine high-quality raw materials and cutting-edge technologies. The partners will break ground on two facilities totaling nearly 300,000 square feet this spring, with the facility fully operationally in the summer of 2023. The facility will expand Hello Nature’s Indiana presence and complements its two facilities in Anderson.
“We believe that this new production facility will be a turning point for the North American market,” said Luca Bonini, Hello Nature’s CEO. “Today the fertilizer industry undergoes multiple challenges such as rising prices, logistics issues and shortage of inputs, and there is a desperate need for innovative solutions to feed a growing population with less inputs and less land available. Our facility will ensure a regular production of sustainable fertilizers to help North American farmers achieve their yield goals. We are honored to partner with MPS and the Krouse family in this important project.”
The project will also enhance MPS Egg Farms’ operations in and near Wabash.
“MPS is excited to partner with Hello Nature to bring their expertise to Wabash. After a thorough review of potential sites in two states, we determined Wabash was the most attractive location and allowed us to expand at home,” said Dan Krouse, vice president of operations at MPS Egg Farms. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to make this investment and hire more Hoosiers in Wabash County.”
Based on the company’s job creation plans, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) committed an investment in Hello Nature Specialty Fertilizers of up to $490,000 in the form of incentive-based tax credits. The tax credits are performance-based, so the company is eligible to claim incentives once employees are hired.
“By expanding our offerings into Indiana’s growing organic farming sector and supporting a sixth-generation, Hoosier-owned business, we couldn’t be more excited to join this partnership,” said Ann Lathrop, executive vice president of global investments, IEDC. “As we work to sustain our local communities, we continue building on our strengths of manufacturing and agribusiness, which allows us to connect locally, regionally and globally. Hello Nature’s investment in Wabash County is impressive, and we’re excited to see the impact it will have for Hoosiers and our state.”
“We are honored that Hello Nature and MPS Egg Farms have chosen the City of Wabash as the location for their new joint venture, Bionutrients,” said Wabash Mayor Scott A. Long. “Wabash County has always been a strong center for agribusiness and manufacturing, and this investment is the perfect marriage of the two, continuing the legacy of innovation in our community.”
