A Big Dill: Grillo’s Pickles To Build $54 Million Facility

Grillo’s Pickles announced plans to build a $54 million manufacturing plant in Bartholomew County, Ind. The 155,000 sq. ft. facility will employ up to 150 workers and is adjacent to a $175 million King’s Hawaiian bakery operation. Both businesses are owned by Irresistible Foods Group.

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation committed an investment of up to $1.4 million in incentive-based tax credits in Boston-based Grillo’s Pickles.

“Our pickles use a century-old family recipe and contain no artificial preservatives, Grillo’s Pickles are packed, shipped, and sold refrigerated,” said Adam Kaufman, president and CEO of Grillo’s Pickles, in a press release. “For our new production site, it was important to us to find a central U.S. location with a skilled workforce and supportive business environment, and we are very excited to be in Bartholomew County, Ind.”

Family-owned, privately-held Irresistible Foods Group – which also owns Killer Brownie Company and Shaka Tea – acquired Grillo’s Pickles in 2021. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Founded in 2008 by Travis Grillo, Grillo’s began as a pickle cart in Boston Common — with two pickle spears selling for a dollar – prior to expanding into local Whole Foods Market stores.

Today, the brand offers a broad range of pickle spears, chips, wholes, halves and more that are distributed to thousands of retailers including Target, Costco, Publix, Kroger, Safeway and more. Creative collaborations and branded merchandise have helped the brand stand out and achieve a cult following.

The global pickles market was valued at $14.3 billion in 2024, according to Global Market Insights, driven by demand for bold and unique flavors and artisanal, small-batch offerings.