The Creel family has chosen Colorado Springs as the site for a new pecan shelling and distribution facility that city and business leaders say will bolster the local food and agriculture supply chain and create quality jobs.
Local investment and jobs
Announced July 13 by the Colorado Springs Chamber & Economic Development Corporation, the project is expected to bring about 50 jobs with an average annual wage of $76,000 and approximately $50 million in capital investment to the city. The facility will be located at Peak Innovation Park in southwest Colorado Springs.
City officials said the economic package includes permitting and workforce support through the City's Rapid Response Program, which expedites review and approvals across participating regulatory agencies.
Background on the Creel family operation
The Creel family's pecan business began with a 100-acre orchard established in 1992 on a former cattle ranch in Camargo, Chihuahua, Mexico. Over time the orchard grew to 1,050 acres, and the family now plans to expand their role along the supply chain by investing in shelling and distribution in Colorado Springs.
"As a family business, every investment we make is a long-term commitment. Colorado Springs impressed us not just as a great place to do business, but as a place where families, businesses, and communities grow together,"
said Luis Creel, owner of the new facility.
What the city and Chamber say
Bonnie Goff, vice president of economic development for the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, framed the project as a strategic fit for the region’s manufacturing and agriculture ambitions.
"This project strengthens our region's food and agriculture sector, creates quality jobs, and adds an important new manufacturing operation to Peak Innovation Park," the Chamber said in its announcement, adding that city agencies will support the company's permitting and workforce needs.
- Estimated new jobs: 50
- Average annual wage: $76,000
- Planned capital investment: $50 million
- Facility location: Peak Innovation Park, Southwest Colorado Springs
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Jobs (estimated) | 50 |
| Average annual wage | $76,000 |
| Capital investment | $50,000,000 |
| Creel orchard acreage | 1,050 acres |
Local impact and next steps
Officials say the Rapid Response Program will speed up land use reviews and building permits, drawing on every regulatory agency involved in plan review. The incentive package also includes talent and workforce support designed to connect the new operation with local workers.
For Colorado Springs, the project represents both a manufacturing addition at Peak Innovation Park and a continued push to diversify the local economy beyond defense, aerospace and tourism. For the Creel family, it appears to be the first step in bringing more of their supply chain into the U.S.
Construction timelines, final permitting milestones and exact hiring schedules were not included in the announcement. City and Chamber officials said they will support the company through permitting and workforce connections as the project moves forward.
The facility adds to a small but growing roster of food and agricultural investments in the region and may create downstream opportunities for local suppliers, logistics providers and workforce training programs.
Reporting from Colorado Springs.
