Clarksdale made its sixth economic development announcement in four years with Ilex Organics, a supplier of yaupon tea and Mississippi-grown catfish fillets, formally saying it was opening operations in Clarksdale.
Tuesday’s news was bitter-sweet, but needed, with the death of long-time business advocate Bill O. Luckett last week, coupled with his son Oliver unveiling his plans to bring business and jobs to Clarksdale on Tuesday.
“October 3, of last year, I came home to be with my dad,” said Oliver Luckett, to the crowd gathered outside the Yazoo Yaupon building in downtown Clarksdale. “In November we got the idea to begin this business when an ethnobotanist found a little plant in our yard in Clarksdale and offered to make (my dad) tea.”
Luckett said he began putting together the pieces of what he hopes will become a multi-million dollar crop/manufacturing/marketing business that will see yaupon grown in Clarksdale, processed in Clarksdale and distributed from Clarksdale.
The project is a $2.612 million corporate investment and will create 60 jobs.
“When my husband and I moved back to the Mississippi Delta after nearly 30 years away, we found an inclusive community and an abundant opportunity to thrive,” said Luckett. “With the efficient and tireless work of the Crossroads Economic Partnership and the Mississippi Development Authority working to make Clarksdale the capital of yaupon tea, we were pleased to discover that Mississippi is open for innovation and business for all people.”
Coahoma County is leasing Ilex the 38,000-square-foot former Gator Mills/Strom building in the Leonard Pharr Industrial Park.
Luckett has partnered with Florida-based Yaupon Brothers, which pioneered the cultivation and processing of yaupon plants for consumer tea products.
Yaupon Brothers currently is one of the largest farmers of yaupon trees in the U.S. Luckett said he plans are to plant more than 1 million yaupon shrubs across Mississippi and Arkansas.
Ilex also is partnering with Mississippi catfish producers with the intention of purchasing premium catfish fillets and labeling and distributing them in Clarksdale. Ilex’s distribution channels include: Seattle Fish, Santa Monica Seafood, Samuels & Sons, Euclid Seafood, Fortune Fish, e-commerce giant Amazon and Crowd Cow.
The Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance for building improvements and workforce training. The Crossroads Economic Partnership, Coahoma County, and the City of Clarksdale have played a significant role in developing the project.
“As the local economic developer, I am so very grateful to the Mississippi Development Authority and the state of Mississippi for their outstanding support of this project,” said Levingston, Executive Director of Crossroads Economic Partnership. “Likewise, the abundant local support of our county and city has been critical to the success of establishing Ilex Organics in Clarksdale. Finally, we are honored that Oliver Luckett and his team chose Clarksdale in which to locate their innovative, forward-thinking company.”
Ilex plans to begin operations at their Clarksdale facility upon completion of its new plant and expects to fill the 60 jobs in the next two years.
“We are so pleased to welcome Ilex Organics to our community,” said Johnny Newson, President of the Coahoma County Board of Supervisors. “They represent job opportunities for our citizens and future growth for our county. Ilex is only the latest of several new industries we’ve welcomed to Coahoma County during the past four years. We are open and ready to embrace new economic development opportunities here in Coahoma County.”
And the project has the potential to touch the entire Delta.
“The creation of 60 jobs in Clarksdale by Ilex will have a tremendous impact on the local community and economy for many years to come,” said Gov. Tate Reeves in a statement. “With Clarksdale’s accessibility to the FedEx distribution hub, the area’s strong workforce, and its proximity to the freshest catfish in the country, Coahoma County provides all of the competitive advantages Ilex needs for years of success.”
MDA Interim Executive Director Laura Hipp said the announcement will build on the success Mississippi and Clarksdale have had in attracting innovative and unique industry to the state and the Delta.
“The announcement of Ilex’s new operations in Clarksdale continues the momentum we have experienced throughout the year of companies investing in our communities and creating jobs for Mississippians,” said Hipp. “While known for the blues, Clarksdale also is home to a dedicated workforce with a commitment to quality, and there is no doubt these 60 individuals will work hard to ensure Ilex’s success in Coahoma County.”
Ilex will be headquartered in the old Ellis & Hirsberg building on Second Street. That building will also house Yazoo Yaupon, a business that sell a variety of flavors of yaupon tea and herbal cosmetic products, again, that will be produced, bagged and distributed in Clarksdale and around the world.
