Mayor Kugan highlights business expansions expected to add hundreds of jobs

Mayor Paul Kugan used the One South Coast Chamber forum to spotlight recent private investment and job growth in Fall River, detailing several business expansions he said will create jobs across manufacturing, food production, cold storage and pharmaceuticals.

“South Coast Ventures recently purchased land next to the Commonwealth Landing along our waterfront for a proposed expansion of South Coast Health. It's expected to create hundreds of new jobs in the coming years,” Kugan said. He also noted a new deal with Brown Health that he said strengthens local hospital services.

Kugan cited specific private projects: Gold Medal Bakery opened a new 90,000‑square‑foot facility on Commerce Drive expected to add 30 to 50 jobs; Takeo Comfort Solution completed a $20 million, 52,000‑square‑foot expansion expected to add about 75 jobs; Ice Cube Cold Storage completed an 84,000‑square‑foot expansion and plans another facility; Freeze Pack Logistics is opening a 200,000‑square‑foot cold storage facility this month, bringing roughly 100 jobs; and Infen Pharmaceuticals plans to create about 70 jobs at a research/production site.

The mayor credited a mix of business tax incentives from the Healey–Driscoll administration and support from the Fall River tax increment financing board as important to closing deals that led to these investments.

Kugan presented the job and size estimates as expectations rather than guaranteed outcomes; he did not provide contractual details or firm hiring schedules in the address. He framed these projects as part of a broader effort to rebuild the city’s employment base and support workforce pipelines tied to local education and nursing partnerships.

Next steps: several projects are at or near construction start, and the mayor indicated the city will continue to coordinate incentives and infrastructure support to help them proceed.