Mission Foods Opens New Plant in Panorama City

Tortilla and corn flour producer Mission Foods has opened a new manufacturing facility in Panorama City. The new plant, located in the Valley’s State Enterprise Zone, is Mission’s fifth plant in the Southern California area. The company invested more than $50 million dollars in the development of the facility, which will create more than 400 jobs and produce approximately 12 million tortillas per day when the facility reaches full capacity in 2013. “Mission Foods will improve the economic vibrancy of our city by bringing hundreds of jobs and additional revenue to the Valley,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who participated in the grand opening along with other city officials. Mission Foods agreed to build their plant in Los Angeles after the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Business Policy brought together multiple city departments to expedite their planning and permitting process, Villaraigosa said. The 200,000 square foot facility has also earned LEED Gold certification through its design and construction practices that reduce the negative environmental impact. The Panorama City facility was designed to save energy and reduce greenhouse emissions. The sustainability efforts helps Mission save over 1,250 metric tons of direct carbon emissions, equivalent to removing 250 vehicles from the road annually. Plant features also include rooftop solar panels allowing the facility to generate a portion of its own electricity, heat recovery lines, and systems that minimize water usage. “Mission Foods’ arrival is a massive victory for Panorama City, the Valley, and Los Angeles,” Councilmember Tony Cardenas said. “In an area hit hard by the recession, this new facility will create hundreds of jobs.”