Creel Family Selects Colorado Springs for New Pecan Shelling and Distribution Facility, Bringing 50 New Jobs to Southeast Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS – The Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC is pleased to announce that the Creel family has selected Colorado Springs as the location for its new pecan shelling and distribution facility which will bring an estimated 50 new jobs with an average annual wage of $76,000 and $50 million in capital investment to Colorado Springs.
“As a family business, every investment we make is a long-term commitment. Colorado Springs impressed us not just as a great place to do business, but as a place where families, businesses, and communities gore together,” said Luis Creel, owner of the new facility. “We are proud to expand our pecan operations here and grateful for the warm welcome we’ve received and support from the city.”
Before founding American Beef in 1994, Ricardo Creel Sr. planted the seeds of what would become a thriving agricultural business. In 1992, he established a 100-acre pecan orchard on a former cattle ranch in Camargo, Chihuahua, Mexico. Today, that orchard has expanded to more than 1,050 acres.
The Creel family’s management of the orchard is focused on efficient use of resources and natural care of the trees. The newest chapter of their legacy is to invest further into the supply chain, beginning with the pecan shelling facility which will be located at Peak Innovation Park in Southeast Colorado Springs.
The groundbreaking for the new facility is expected to take place in August of 2027.
“The Creel family’s investment demonstrates that Colorado Springs is a place where businesses can grow for generations,” said Bonnie Goff, Vice President of Economic Development for the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC. “This project strengthens our region’s food and agriculture sector, creates quality jobs, and adds an important new manufacturing operation to Peak Innovation Park. We look forward to supporting the Creel family in their continued success in Colorado Springs.”
In addition to Colorado Springs, the Creel family also looked at sites in Texas and New Mexico for the facility.
The City of Colorado Springs is offering the company an incentive package which includes the Rapid Response Program and talent and workforce support. The Rapid Response Program expedites the review and approval of land use applications and building permits and includes every regulatory agency that will participate in plan review and approvals. The City’s Economic Development Department also offers support through talent and workforce expertise.
“The Creel family’s decision to expand at Peak Innovation Park is exactly the kind of hometown success story we love to celebrate,” said City of Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade. “They chose to grow their business in a community that has become home and where they plan their business future. That is what economic development is all about: helping homegrown businesses stay, expand, and create new opportunities right here in our community. From pecans to prosperity, Peak Innovation Park is becoming a place where local businesses can dream bigger, grow stronger, and continue building their future in Colorado Springs.”
El Paso County, the Pikes Peak administrator for the Colorado Enterprise Zone (EZ) program, estimates that Project Tree is eligible for up to $610,990 in performance-based EZ state tax credits and exemptions.
“The Creel family’s new pecan shelling and distribution facility represents the kind of investment we strive to attract to El Paso County. As a business‑friendly region, we work to bring high‑value employers and innovative industries to our region,” said El Paso County Commissioner Cory Applegate. “By expanding value‑added food manufacturing, this company is creating jobs, strengthening our agricultural economy, and reinforcing that El Paso County is an ideal place for businesses to invest and grow. We are proud to welcome this new facility and look forward to its long‑term success in our community.”