A street serving Mizkan America’s Owensboro facility has officially been renamed Bertolli Way as the company moves forward with its $156 million expansion.
The Owensboro City Commission recently approved the ordinance changing the name of Lagoon Lane to Bertolli Way at the request of Mizkan Inc., which is expanding its local operations and adding 44 full-time jobs.
City Commissioner Nate Pagan previously said the request stemmed from the company’s expansion plans.
“Last year, Mizkan announced a large investment and expansion of their local facility,” Pagan said during an earlier commission meeting. “As part of that project, the company plans to use Lagoon Lane for some access to their property, in addition to their historic entrance on Ragu Drive.”
Pagan said Lagoon Lane, located immediately east of the facility, will become an additional access point for the plant. The company requested the name change to complement Ragu Drive with another one of its flagship brands.
“Bertolli is one of their lines as well,” Pagan said. “They like having Ragu Drive and asked if we would change Lagoon to Bertolli.”
He said the request was straightforward because there are few properties on the road aside from access to the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
“It was quite an easy request that we’re happy to do to recognize the company and their employees and contributions to the community,” Pagan said.
The newly named Bertolli Way will serve as the primary shipping and receiving entrance for the expanded facility.
According to the city, once Mizkan begins using the new entrance, approximately 120 semi-trucks each day will be redirected away from the intersection of KY 54 and Ragu Drive, helping improve traffic flow in the area.
City crews recently installed the new Bertolli Way street signs.
The street name change accompanies a major expansion that broke ground last summer. The $156 million project will add approximately 320,000 square feet to Mizkan’s existing campus, bringing the Owensboro facility to nearly 1 million square feet.
The expansion includes new manufacturing lines, additional warehouse space, upgraded equipment, and information technology systems. It will also allow the Owensboro plant to begin producing several additional Mizkan brands, including Holland House cooking wine, Mizkan Asian sauces and vinegars, and Nakano rice vinegar.
Mizkan’s Owensboro facility has operated for nearly 50 years and is one of the community’s largest manufacturers.
According to the city, the plant now produces approximately 1.5 million jars of Bertolli and RAGÚ pasta sauce every day, with products distributed across the country.
Mizkan America is a subsidiary of the Japan-based Mizkan Group, an international food manufacturer with more than 200 years of history. The company operates 12 manufacturing facilities in the United States and produces brands including RAGÚ, Bertolli, Holland House, Nakano, and Mizkan.
