Indian food company wants to move from Elk Grove Village to Elgin

A growing Indian snack food company hopes to relocate its manufacturing facility to Elgin under a plan that continues the renewed business interest in the industrial park that borders Elgin Community College.

Janaki Foods, currently located in Elk Grove Village, would expand its operations into a vacant, 30,000-square-foot business space at 340 Renner Drive.

It would join existing businesses like Rainbow Colors, Paramount Colors and Mango Transport LLC in the larger industrial property. All those existing tenants are owned by Nandanvan Partners, which also owns Janaki Foods.

The snack food company uses a 15-foot-long continuous fryer to make Indian snacks from rice flour, chickpea spices and nuts. It also makes a pancake-type batter mix from rice and lentils. Company representatives told Elgin officials the process does not generate fumes or emissions. City staff members told plan commission members that any odors created by the process would be similar to those of a restaurant.

Neighbors to the planned factory include Elgin Community College to the south. There are townhouse buildings to the west and single-family homes to the north in unincorporated Kane County.

Those neighbors may see ongoing business activity in the industrial park as the city staff noted "a renewed interest in the area" since the completion of the Route 20 and South McLean Boulevard intersection and corresponding improved access to the industrial park.

Company representative Pankaj Patel told the plan commission members about 30% of the products made at the facility would supply local Indian grocery stores. The remaining would go to distributors in Texas, California and New Jersey. He said he expects no more than one or two vans and trucks coming and going from the snack manufacturing facility each day.

The plan commission voted to recommend the project 3-0. The full city council must sign off before the project can move forward.