SCOTT, La. — A Connecticut company with Lafayette roots is expanding in Scott, and that means jobs are open.
Kibberia is finalizing a state-of-the-art facility in Lafayette Parish, a release states.
The building’s design promotes an efficient flow that can be rapidly scaled to support production as needed.
More than 30,000 square feet of the 60,000-square-foot facility will be utilized for the kitchen, with 11,000 square feet of refrigerated space. The company is completing USDA and SQF certification to ensure the highest level of food safety and quality.
Located in the former Discount Furniture building on Cameron Street, the commercial kitchen will provide prepared, fresh foods to regional grocery stores and supermarkets.
The company, founded by Carole Antoun Iskandar (USL 87), currently operates a commercial kitchen and restaurant in Danbury, Connecticut. This facility will operate as a sister location overseen by Iskandar.
“We decided to expand into Louisiana given our familiarity with Lafayette Parish,” said owner Georges Antoun (USL 88). “My wife, Martha (USL 83), is from Opelousas and my daughter, Katherine, who will be running the kitchen, lives in Lafayette and attends UL Lafayette. Needless to say, we wanted to come back ‘home’ and give back to the place we love.”
Individuals can apply in person at 4207 Cameron Street. According to Antoun, “Our priority is the kitchen team. All our employees will undergo rigorous training and we are hoping they will be with us for a long time.”
“The City of Scott is very excited about Kibberia. Investment and job creation are economic drivers for a community. The investment by the Kiberria team, which is locally owned, gives us the opportunity to market our city in a regional approach,” said Jan-Scott Richard, Mayor of Scott. “We look forward to a wonderful partnership with Kibberia that will bring jobs and growth to our city for many years to come.”
The company’s chefs have created around 250 products including fresh salads, ready-to-bake and ready-to-eat meals, casseroles, and sandwiches. In addition, the company produces a wide variety of seasonal and holiday items. Their retail customers order a subset of the menu based on geography, time of year, and need.
“The opening of Kibberia is illustrative of what LEDA seeks to accomplish with our business and talent attraction efforts—bringing in and retaining the best and brightest from across the state, country and world,” said Gregg Gothreaux, President and CEO of the Lafayette Economic Development Authority.
