The operations director of a new coffee facility bringing 800 new jobs to Western Tidewater was given a warm reception at a Small Business Week in Virginia luncheon at The Smithfield Center Thursday.

Marlene Bialecki updated the Isle of Wight-Smithfield-Windsor Chamber of Commerce audience on Green Mountain Coffee Roasters’ progress in establishing a $180 million coffee roasting, grinding and packaging facility in Windsor.

Bialecki said 1,200 people attended an April job fair to hire workers for the facility, adding the company was “overwhelmed” with the response and by the talent of applicants.

“(They were) very interested in us, and we are very interested in them, and we’re very humbled by that experience,” she said.

Hiring is continuing, she said, with about another 50 positions set be filled during the next six months.

The types of workers still needed include machine operators, maintenance technicians, material handlers and quality assurance staff, she said.

Production is expected to begin during the next two months, she said, and the company has been busy fitting out the property it has purchased for the new facility in Shirley T. Holland Intermodal Park.

“The facility will not only be an integral part (of the company’s operations) … it’s employees will become important contributors to the Green Mountain Coffee culture as it has been cultivated through its conception,” Bialecki said.

“We look forward to continuing to support the region in terms of job creation, investment and community partnership.”

Responding to audience questions, Bialecki said the facility would operate 24/7 with a weekly production goal of one million portion packs for Keurig Single-Cup Brewing Systems.

The company selected the Isle of Wight for the facility due to the county’s “overwhelming view of what business means to the community,” she said, also citing the “tremendous amount of work” of county Director of Economic Development Lisa Perry “and her group.”

Gov. Bob McDonnell helped the county secure the deal by approving a $4 million Governor’s Opportunity Fund grant.

The new facility is being established in a 330,000-square-foot building on 64 acres of land the company purchased for $15 million.

Up to $800 million is expected to be invested in the facility in the initial five years.

With the Windsor facility, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters has production and distribution facilities in five U.S. states as well as in Ontario and Quebec.