Milo’s Whole World Gourmet, in collaboration with JobsOhio, Ohio Southeast Economic Development (OhioSE), and the Athens County Economic Development Council (ACEDC), today announced an investment of $130,000 to expand its Nelsonville operations, creating four new jobs.

Milo’s Whole World Gourmet is a creator and producer of specialty foods based in Athens County, Ohio. Founded in 2003 and still run today by Jonathan Milo Leal and his team, the company is growing strong. Milo’s WWG procures ingredients from the finest sources in the Great Lakes region and the United States and crafts all of its gourmet products in small batches, with clean and minimal ingredients, and with the quality, care, and ingenuity one would find in a true homemade product.

“Adding key pieces of equipment to help round out our production line will make a huge difference in terms of our ability to generate more volume,” said Leal. “The grant from JobsOhio provides a critical boost, and shows that the state of Ohio is genuinely invested in American manufacturing, and the good-paying jobs that come with it.”

In addition to manufacturing its own line of glass bottled sauces, Milo’s offers co-packing services for other bottled sauce and jam products. This investment will allow the company to expand its co-packing services.

This investment is supported by a $50,000 JobsOhio Small Business Grant. The JobsOhio Small Business Grant provides grants to support the growth of small businesses that face unique challenges because they are either located in a qualifying zip code or are owned by an eligible population, which includes minorities, women, veterans, and people with disabilities. To qualify the company must have an eligible project and meet business size and industry requirements.

“Milo’s Whole World Gourmet is a great example of the entrepreneurial spirit that thrives in Southeast Ohio. Their continued growth in Nelsonville showcases how small businesses can scale and succeed with the right mix of passion, quality, and support,” said Matt Abbott, President and CEO of OhioSE. “We’re proud to partner with JobsOhio and ACEDC to help Milo’s expand their footprint and create new opportunities in Athens County.”

The company previously received a JobsOhio Small Business Grant in 2021, funding the purchase of new equipment and facility enhancements that allowed the company to eventually move out of a shared workspace to its new location in Nelsonville, which is four times larger than its previous space.

“Vino de Milo’s continued growth into new product lines and markets has had a large impact on the local economy and represents Athens’ competitive edge in the regional food manufacturing industry,” said Mollie Fitzgerald, Executive Director of the Athens County Economic Development Council. “We are grateful to JobsOhio for supporting this exciting project.”

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Ohio Southeast Economic Development (OhioSE) is the JobsOhio Network Partner for southern, eastern, and southeastern Ohio, providing economic development work and resources in 25 rural counties. Geographically the largest of the seven regions across the state, OhioSE partners closely with regional development districts, local economic development offices, state agencies, and other entities to expand, retain, and attract businesses in the counties they serve.