PLAINFIELD, IND. — Gruma Corp. has announced plans to expand in the Midwest with the construction of a Mission Foods tortilla manufacturing facility in Plainfield.

As part of the expansion, Mission Foods said it will lease, build out and equip a 510,965-square-foot manufacturing facility in Plainfield. The company’s new Midwest plant will incorporate advanced technological, quality and safety features, and will enable production of corn tortillas, flour tortillas, tortilla chips, flat breads and other baked products, with the potential to produce 187.85 million lbs of food products annually, Mission Foods said.

Mission Foods expects the facility to begin operations in early 2021 and be fully operational in 2024. A total of 544 jobs are expected to be created as a result of the development by 2026, Mission Foods said.

“Mission Foods is thrilled to join the Hoosier community,” said German Chavez, vice president of manufacturing at Mission Foods. “We have found that our operations are most successful when we partner with hardworking individuals that are excited to make the highest quality food products in the world. Indiana is a perfect match.”

Mission Foods said it is awaiting word on whether it will receive up to $4.75 million in conditional tax credits for the project from the Indiana Economic Development Corp. (IEDC) board of directors. The conditional tax credits, which are based on the company’s job creation and investment plans, are performance-based, meaning the company is eligible to claim incentives once individuals from Indiana are hired.

“Indiana is ranked the top state for manufacturing output because of companies like Mission Foods deciding to locate operations here and contribute to our thriving manufacturing sector,” said Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb. “I’m extremely grateful they’ve chosen our state to call home and will not only be able to grow their business here, but also provide career opportunities for Hoosiers for years to come.”

Mission Foods has operated in the United States for the past 43 years and employs approximately 6,900 individuals nationwide at its 19 other plants in the United States.