An Alabama-based chicken processor will open a plant in northeast Mississippi to process and distribute frozen chicken products.

Peco Foods on Monday announced its plan to invest $40 million in West Point, hiring 300 people over the next four years.

Tuscaloosa-based Peco bought a 185,000-square-foot (17,000-square-meter) cold storage warehouse in December that it plans to renovate to house the operation.

Peco says it needs more capacity to supply its customers, including restaurants, grocers and food service distributors.

State and local incentives, including grants, property tax reductions and a discounted water and sewer rate, could benefit Peco by $13.7 million over 10 years.

Officials said last fall that the company will pay workers $15 to $17 an hour.

(Associated Press, copyright 2018)