Palermo’s Expanding Through Purchase of Shuttered Processing Plant

Feb. 14, 2023

Milwaukee-based frozen pizza manufacturer has acquired a 30,000-square-foot shuttered food-processing facility in Jefferson, Wisconsin.

Andy Hanacek

Milwaukee-based frozen pizza manufacturer Palermo Villa Inc. announced that it has acquired a 30,000-square-foot shuttered food-processing facility in Jefferson, Wis., to expand production capabilities. The expansion plan will create more than 200 new jobs throughout the plant, according to a release from the company.

Palermo’s plans to set the facility up with equipment to facilitate at least two pizza topping lines, with an anticipated startup date in late summer of this year. The company estimates it will produce more than 50 million frozen pizzas per year in Jefferson.

The Jefferson facility, which includes processing floor space and cold storage, was previously owned by Tyson Foods, operating as LD Foods to produce frozen fish patties. It was closed in 2021.

Palermo Villa owns national frozen pizza brands Palermo’s Pizza, Screamin’ Sicilian, Urban Pie Pizza Co., Surfer Boy and Connie’s Pizza.

About the Author

Andy Hanacek | Senior Editor

Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.