Baton Rouge-based Pod Pack International, which manufactures and distributes single-serve coffee pods, recently completed a facility expansion at its 11800 Industriplex Blvd. headquarters but continues to look for a larger space to meet the needs of its rapidly expanding business.
“Over the past four years we have tripled our sales, with about a 35% increase last year,” says Executive Vice President and COO Tom Martin. “We’re not quite at that rate this year so far, although just in the last couple of weeks some opportunities have presented themselves that might put us on that track. But we’re still well ahead of last year, just not 35%.”
Louisiana Economic Development honored Pod Pack recently with a Lantern Award, which annually is awarded to just eight companies in the state for “excellence in manufacturing and outstanding service to their communities.”
Late last year, Pod Pack completed an expansion of its existing facilities that added about 13,000 square feet, bringing its total space to about 44,000 square feet. But it continues to look for an even larger space. The company announced last year plans to invest $10 million over the next three years to expand operations in a new facility.
“We’re monitoring our growth rate and we’re looking for an existing space, but if we can’t find it we’re going to have to build something,” Martin says. “Right now, we’d rather spend our capital on equipment to further the growth of the company, rather than sinking it into a building, but if we keep growing at the rate we have been we’re going to need more space.”
Employment is also expanding at Pod Pack. Martin says the staff went from 20 to 30 last year, and the company is on pace to add six more jobs this year and three next year.
In April, Pod Pack—which will celebrate its 20th year in business next year—was also honored by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber with its Project of the Year award for its expansion plans.
—Steve Sanoski
