FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 5, 2026) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear highlighted growth in Kentucky’s food and beverage industry as MarfoFMA Corp. announced plans to open its first production facility in the United States in Covington – a project secured during the October 2025 economic trade mission to Europe. The over $37 million investment will create 78 highly skilled positions.
“Today’s announcement is a great reminder that Kentucky’s economic momentum is not only going strong, but that the commonwealth is open and ready for companies from all over the world to establish their New Kentucky Home,” said Gov. Beshear. “This project is the company’s first production facility in the United States, which is bringing new great new job opportunities for Kentuckians in Covington and the surrounding Northern Kentucky region. I want to thank MarfoFMA’s leaders for choosing and believing in our great state. I look forward to watching their success and growth here in the commonwealth.”
The facility will focus on developing and producing high-quality frozen meals specifically designed for airline clients, using premium ingredients and drawing on expertise in industrial production, food safety protocols and supply chain logistics. This approach from MarfoFMA aims to deliver dependable service across Europe, the United States and Canada. The project will be the company’s first U.S.-based operation, which will facilitate access to a highly skilled workforce, including production staff, logistics managers and machine specialists.
“This represents an important milestone for the family-owned Fleury Michon Group and its international catering business,” said Arnaud Prévéraud, Area Manager North America of MarfoFMA. “Through this investment, we will be able to add additional capacity to our North American operations, which are currently served exclusively by FMA based in Quebec. We intend to train our local teams in Covington in order to establish our know-how over the long term, for the benefit of our airline customers departing from U.S. airports.”
MarfoFMA is one of the business units of the family-owned Fleury Michon Group, founded in 1905 and still owned by the founding family, and today a highly recognized brand among French households. Since 2006, the Fleury Michon Group has expanded into the airline catering business from North America, with the acquisition of FMA in Quebec, followed by Marfo in 2019 in the Netherlands. These strategic developments have enabled the Group to become a major player in airline catering across Europe and North America. This activity is firmly grounded in the Group’s core values: culinary excellence, food safety and the long-term development of its teams.
Kenton County Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann showed his appreciation for MarfoFMA’s decision to invest in the region: “We’re happy to welcome them to Kenton County. A priority of the county is supporting our residents in the pursuit of better jobs, and MarfoFMA will help many of them obtain just that result. Today is another good day for Kenton County.”
Covington Mayor Washington shared that the new facility brings new life to an established facility: “As Covington continues to grow, we’re proud to welcome MarfoFMA to our community and honored that they chose our city for their first U.S. location. This investment not only brings new jobs but also breathes new life into a vacant facility in South Covington. Transforming the former White Castle distribution plant into a thriving manufacturing operation is exactly the kind of forward momentum we strive for. We look forward to a strong partnership and to the energy this project will bring to our city.”
BE NKY Growth Partnership CEO Lee Crume emphasized the importance of the food and flavoring industry: “MarfoFMA is an excellent addition to the strong food and flavoring manufacturing industry in the Cincinnati region. We are excited the company will make delicious food served to passengers on airlines, railways and hospitality locations throughout North America right here in Northern Kentucky.”
