Hain seeks state, LI aid for HQ move

The Hain Celestial Group Inc., one of Long Island's prominent public companies, is being wooed by other states for its headquarters and has sought government aid to remain here, according to knowledgeable sources and public documents.

The manufacturer of Celestial Seasonings tea, Terra Chips, WestSoy beverages, Rosetto pasta and other foods wants to rent 86,104 square feet of office space at 1111 Marcus Ave. in Lake Success. The company is now run from a 35,000-square- foot space at 58 South Service Rd. in Melville. The lease there expires this year.

Hain has asked for tax breaks from the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency and Empire State Development Corp., according to a public hearing notice from the county.

Officials at both government agencies confirmed Wednesday they have offered incentive packages to keep the business on Long Island, though the aid amounts are still being negotiated.

According to three people familiar with Hain's deliberations, the company has considered moving its headquarters to New Jersey or Colorado -- it has factories in both states.

Asked Wednesday about Hain's intentions, company spokeswoman Mary Celeste Anthes said, "Nothing has been definitely determined."

Last year, in a symbolic blow to the Island, Arrow Electronics Inc., the largest publicly traded company, moved its corporate office from Melville to a Denver suburb. Earlier in 2011 a small public company, chemicals supplier Aceto Corp., made a move, with state aid, to Port Washington from Lake Success, instead of going to Pennsylvania.

Hain is the area's ninth-largest public company, with sales of $1.1 billion in its fiscal year ended June 30. It employs about 2,000 people, including 250 locally.

The board of directors of Nassau's development agency expects next month to consider a sales tax exemption for Hain on $3.5 million in construction materials and equipment needed to prepare the office space. Property taxes also would be reduced over a number of years, according to officials.

"This is an enormously important project," said IDA executive director Joseph J. Kearney. "We remain extremely optimistic that, together with the state, we will present a complete economic incentive package that leads Hain Celestial to relocate its headquarters to Nassau County and to remain on Long Island."

Hain also is expected to receive state tax credits in exchange for creating 122 jobs.

Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano has personally urged Hain's top brass, including founder and chief executive Irwin D. Simon, to keep the corporate headquarters here. Simon also has met with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's economic development czar, Kenneth Adams, and area representative Andrea Lohneiss, touring a Whole Foods store in Manhattan to see Hain products.

Hain executives also have been courted by officials from other states, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, according to the people familiar with the company's deliberations.

Mangano said Wednesday he has endeavored to create private-sector jobs. "This is another major victory for our local economy," he said, referring to Hain.

Austin Shafran, a spokesman for the state development corporation, said it "is working hard with this company to keep and create jobs in New York, and we are very optimistic about our ongoing talks resulting in a successful outcome."