SEPTEMBER 26, 2007, SHIRLEY, NEW YORK – Brookhaven Town Supervisor Brian X. Foley today cut the ribbon the new Tate’s Bake Shop manufacturing facility in East Moriches, a project that will add another 50 jobs over the next five years for Brookhaven Town residents.

Cutting the ribbon at the new Tate's Bake Shop manufacturing facility in East Moriches are, left to right, Councilwoman Carol Bissonette, Tate's owner Kathleen King, and Brookhaven Town Supervisor Brian X. Foley. Behind them are, left to right, Long Island Partnership President Michael Watt, Zvi Friedman and Michael Cavanaugh, owner of East Moriches Hardware.

   “I am happy to welcome Tate’s Bake Shop to the Brookhaven business community,” said Supervisor Foley. “Tate’s is a solid business that is growing by leaps and bounds every year. Tate’s is exactly the kind of dynamic business that will help Brookhaven grow and prosper. The manufacturing jobs they will add for Brookhaven residents pay well and offer full benefits, and that is good news for our town. And, of course, they make cookies that are as good as cookies get.”

   Tate’s Wholesale LLC started operations in August of 2001 and the commercial bakery manufactures and distributes an all-natural Tate’s Bake Shop cookie line to gourmet retailers, supermarkets, and gift basket companies and their company-owned retail store. The company currently distributes packaged cookies to over 1,000 retailers in the Northeast, Florida, California, Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Michigan.

   The company originally started baking out of the back of its retail store but demand for the product quickly outpaced the company’s ability to produce in those small quarters. In 2003, the company leased its current space of 5,000 square feet in Southampton.

   Gross sales at the company have grown at a rate of 30 % per year since the firm’s inception. The company could not meet sales production demands at its former manufacturing site due to space constraints. The company needed a new manufacturing facility to continue its impressive growth and purchased the 26,000 square foot building in East Moriches on 4.81 acres of land.

   The company’s signature cookie is a crisp chocolate chip cookie. Tate’s was a finalist at the New York Fancy Food Show for best cookie and was also featured in the October issue of Rachel Ray Everyday as the best cookie out of 50 submissions. The company also offers a freshly baked cookie with all-natural ingredients.

   In the next five years, the company intends to expand its wholesale business into all major urban areas. It recently began selling to Whole Foods in the Northeast and will begin a national marketing campaign to distribute to all of their stores. The company anticipates growing at rate of 30 % per year.

   The current Tate’s labor force consists of 22 employees, including bakers, mixers, packers, managers and office-personnel. The company will be adding approximately 10 employees per year spread throughout all categories. The company is an active participant in Supervisor Foley’s Workforce Development Initiative. The company offers a full array of benefits to employees in addition to salaries and hourly wages, including bonuses, paid vacation, personal and sick days, health insurance and profit sharing.

   According to Crain's New York Business [February 12 article] Report on Small Business, the Town of Brookhaven has two projects in the top 25 of the New York Area's Largest SBA-Guaranteed Loans for 2006. Tate’s was #20 on that list.

   “The opening of the Tate’s manufacturing facility today is the latest example of how our Economic Development Division is doing a great job in attracting top-flight companies to our town,” said Supervisor Foley. “We have added hundreds of jobs in Brookhaven Town and given the business community an enormous boost by adding new businesses throughout our Empire Zone. What is particularly impressive is the large number of top quality manufacturing jobs that have found a new home in Brookhaven over the last two years.”

Office of the Supervisor
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