By JAMES FINK
jfink@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1611

A deal between Rich Products Corp. and Island Oasis will see a recently closed manufacturing plant reopen and create as many as 90 jobs.

The agreement with Massachusetts-based Island Oasis calls for the manufacturing of fruit and dairy-based beverage products made by Island Oasis for multi-national food suppliers and retailers to shift to the Niagara Street plant closed by Rich Products last year. The 172,000-square-foot plant, located across from the Buffalo company's world headquarters, was its first manufacturing facility.

The key to the deal was Island Oasis bringing its manufacturing operation to Buffalo.

"It's important for companies like Rich's to take an active interest in the community and we are proud to have created this opportunity to bring new jobs to Buffalo," William Gisel, Rich Products president and CEO said in a prepared release.

Initially, 30 people will be hired, many of them Rich's workers who were laid off when the Niagara Street plant closed last spring. According to Gisel, 90 people eventually will work at the plant. Two shifts will be in operation by the end of the month, with other workers phased in.

"Our production environment process is fairly sophisticated and requires specific experience that we knew would be available in Buffalo," said Michael Herbert, Island Oasis founder and CEO. "The Buffalo employment market includes a very established manufacturing workforce and we are looking forward to tapping into the region's unique talent pool."