LIBERTY, N.Y. – Sullivan County officials say a major economic development project could bring new life to Liberty.
Hudson Valley Farms, the Ferndale-based farm and food retailer, has made an accepted offer to purchase the former PepsiCo plant on Route 55 in the Village of Liberty, according to county economic development reports.
The company is now seeking local approval from the Village of Liberty to expand its agricultural business. Established as the first foie gras farm in the United States, Hudson Valley Farms is best known as a foie gras, duck, and chicken producer.
PepsiCo shuttered the manufacturing plant at 89 Mill Street in 2025, which made Pop Corners snacks, putting nearly 300 people out of work in Sullivan County. If approved, the project is expected to create about 200 jobs, with hiring priority given to former PepsiCo employees who lost their jobs when the plant closed, according to county reports.
“If it all comes to fruition as I’m told it will, I think this will be transformative for Liberty, especially its downtown,” said Dan Hust, Sullivan County’s Communications Director.
Hust says projects like these are critical to strengthening the local economy.
“What it is is providing enormous amounts of jobs at hopefully a good living wage and people will be able to spend that money in the community because that’s how a community survives and thrives, is through that ecosystem, if you will,” said Hust.
While an offer has been accepted, the sale has not been finalized. Ideal Snacks Corp – the corporation under Frito-Lay (a division of PepsiCo) in Liberty – is still listed as the property owner under local tax records. The Sullivan County Clerk’s Office confirmed with Radio Catskill that no new deed had been filed for 89 Mill Street as of Thursday afternoon.
Radio Catskill reached out to Hudson Valley Farms for comment but they declined to comment further. The deal is expected to close in the coming months.
Image: Former PepsiCo manufacturing plant in Liberty, N.Y. (Photo Credit: Patricio Robayo)