A former Brooklyn snack food company has moved to Piscataway.
PISCATAWAY -- A former Brooklyn snack foods manufacturer has made Piscataway just a little sweeter after recently setting up shop in the township.
Snack Innovations -- the family-owned maker of a variety of organic, non-genetically modified and low-calorie salty and sweet treats -- has moved its factory from Brooklyn to a more than 35,000-square-foot property on Ethel Road on the border of Edison, according to company official Allen Benz in an email.
The new space -- which the company moved into last month -- was purchased for a little more than $4 million, according to a report by NJBIZ.com.
In recent years, concerns have been raised -- even by the state Senate -- over businesses fleeing New Jersey to set up shop elsewhere.
But, for Snack Innovations, the greener pastures were apparently in Piscataway, not Brookyln.
"We had to move," Benz said, citing hefty rent spikes in Brooklyn, which he said have caused many other large companies to leave the area in the past few years. Staying would have forced the company to pay six-times its current rent, Allen said.
In Piscataway, Snack Innovations will produce snacks like its cinnamon swirl and s'mores treats, penne and french fry chips as well as a variety of popcorn flavors, to name a few. The company integrates its treats with ingredients like ancient grains, legumes, super seeds and leafy vegetables.
"It's truly an industrial area with access to almost any amenities needed within minutes," Benz said.
Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.