A $1 million grant will help a company start making popcorn in an expansion that will employ 40 people in a small town between Peoria and Bloomington-Normal.
The grant will go to Deer Creek, a town of around 660 people along Interstate 74, to support expansion at Heartland Food Solutions LLC. The money will allow Heartland to enter the popcorn production market by “assisting with the purchase of equipment after acquiring an existing company and keeping much needed jobs in this small community,” officials said.
The grant is federal money administered by the state. It comes from the Community Development Block Grant, or CDBG, program.
“The ready-to-eat popcorn market is growing rapidly as consumers shift toward healthier, better-for-you snacks, and we’re seeing strong demand across both existing and new customers,” Derek Karr, Heartland Food Solutions’ chief financial officer, said in a statement. “This grant funding allows us to invest in equipment, create new jobs, and add new capabilities. This will enable us to reach new customers and support continued growth while growing with Deer Creek and the surrounding communities.”
The Village of Deer Creek will serve as grant facilitator.
“We are grateful to the [Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity] for the work they do to keep small towns like Deer Creek appealing to new and existing businesses,” said Deer Creek Village President Grant Hackney.
Heartland Food Solutions is an Illinois company with sister companies involved in food production and processing in Central Illinois, employing more than 150 people.
“I’m proud to announce this critical funding that supports the hardworking Deer Creek community and boosts the Central Illinois economy,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement. “Investments like these don’t just sustain local economies and create new jobs for Illinoisans — they transform communities, promote continued growth, and raise the quality of life for working families in our state.”
