Lusamerica Foods Inc. has purchased the Trident Seafood Processing plant in Fife for $4.5 million.

The 82,000-square-foot facility includes cooler/freezer storage, loading docks, processing areas and offices on 4.5 acres, according to Steve Offenbecher of Coldwell Banker Commercial Offenbecher in Puyallup, who represented the Morgan Hill, Calif.-based company.

Plans for the plant include expansion of Lusamerica's product line into the Pacific Northwest, including delivery of fresh salmon to national and regional grocery food chains. 

"We plan to bring 50 to 60 new jobs to the Fife plant this year and up to 100 in the next two years," said Fernando Frederico, president of Lusamerica.

The purchase is being financed with low interest Industrial Revenue Bonds, which were approved earlier this month by the Economic Development Corp. of Pierce County.

"We are thrilled with Lusamerica's decision to invest in Fife and Pierce County and look forward to continuing to work together to help make their new project here a success," said Susan Suess, senior vice president of the EDC. "It's great news – not only for the jobs they bring – but they add to the growing list of environmentally conscious companies that call Pierce County home."