ELK RIVER -- A frozen treats company is moving its entire operation to Elk River.

JonnyPops has announced they have bought an 80,000 square foot former food manufacturing facility in that community.

They say the new plant will dramatically expand mixing, freezing, packaging, and storage capacity for all JonnyPops product lines. Renovations are underway now and production at the new plant will begin later this year.

Elk River Community Development Director Brent O'Neil says the building they are going into is the former Harvest Hill Beverage Company, which produced juice pouches.  It has also been known as Faribault Foods and American Beverage in recent years.

For the past eight years, they've been operating in St. Louis Park.

JonnyPops employs 80 people with the new facility expected to allow them to create new jobs. O'Neil says, with its 80 employees, it will become be the ninth-largest industrial employer in Elk River.

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JonnyPops was founded in a St. Olaf college dorm room back in 2012. Today their products are sold in major retailers in all 50 states.

The name comes from one of the co-founders' cousins, Jonathan. JonnyPops donates a portion of its proceeds to non-profit organizations that support addiction recovery.

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