French organic firm adds Tennessee plant

A French organic baby food maker will build its first North American plant in Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee, where the company plans to invest $44.9 million and hire

147 workers.

Babynov USA, a new division of Global Baby, will renovate an existing facility in Red Boiling Springs in order to expand its market to the United States.

Founded in 1999, Global Baby provides ready-to-feed baby milks and prepared food products, such as fruit and vegetable purees, full meals and milk-based desserts. The group is headquartered in Paris, France. The Macon County facility will be the company’s first in North America.

“Babynov USA felt very welcome in Tennessee, and we believe we found a place where our business will thrive,” said Babynov USA CEO Bruno Romand-Monnier.

Tennessee is home to more than 1,000 foreign-owned establishments that employ approximately 150,000 Tennesseans. France is among the top 10 countries for foreign direct investment in Tennessee, with French companies employing more than 11,000 people at nearly 90 establishments across the state.