It’s likely you’ve eaten a “Drumstick” ice cream cone at some point in your life, but did you know it was created right here in North Texas? It’s true. The original “Drumstick” was created in 1928 by Parker Products in Fort Worth. 

On Monday, Parker Products broke ground on its new 90,000- square-foot facility at 3001 Strawn Drive in Fort Worth. The company, founded in 1926, will move all of its operations to the new facility upon completion of the project, which is expected in early 2018, according to a news release. 

“Our current plant was built in the 1950s, so there were multiple drivers behind building a new facility,” President Greg Hodder said in the release. “Primarily, the additional space will accommodate anticipated future growth.”

Parker Products is a provider of specialty ingredients, including confectionary fillings and grinds, candy coatings, liquid flavors, pralines for foods and beverages.

Last week, the Fort Worth City Council approved a tax abatement agreement with Parker Products that will keep the company in the city, along with approximately 100 jobs. 

“We are looking to keep approximately 100 jobs that could grow to 200 over the next several years,” Fort Worth Director of Economic Development Robert Sturns said, according to the Fort Worth Business Press. “They are making some strong commitments to Fort Worth hiring, and the jobs pay well, so this was a key part of our analysis in looking at the deal and structuring an incentive agreement.”

Parker Products has committed to invest $17.5 million in real and business personal property investment by the end of 2017 on the project, FWBP reported. Development officials proposed a 10-year, 50 percent tax abatement on real and business personal property, valued at $639,000.

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