Wholesale bakery boosting minimum wage in Indiana

MARION, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — Phoenix-based Café Valley says it will increase the minimum wage at its two production plants, including one in the city of Marion. The independent wholesale bakery produces cakes, croissants and muffins for retailers across the country, including Kroger and Meijer.

Café Valley says it will invest about $7 million to raise the starting pay to $15 per hour. The company says the move is necessary as it struggles to find enough workers. The bakery says it is looking to hire 400 new employees at its facilities in Marion and Phoenix.

“Like many companies, we continue to face a challenging hiring environment as a result of the pandemic,” said Brian Owens, chief executive officer of Café Valley. “We’re committed to our team members and will continue to provide competitive pay and advanced training programs to enrich the employee experience.”

The company says it is also launched a fast-track career pathing program. Café Valley says the program allows entry level staff to follow a promotional path from production team member to supervisor in training.