Kentucky State Seal

 

*OFFICE OF GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR*

*COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY*








*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*




*Contact:* 

*Scottie Ellis
502-401-6933*

*Brandon Mattingly
502-782-2006*






Gov. Beshear: Inked Brands To Relocate, Expand in Bowling Green With $10.7 Million Investment, Create 20 Kentucky Jobs

"""""""Company has operated in the commonwealth for a decade"""""""

*FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 16, 2025) *– Today, Gov. Andy Beshear announced continued momentum within the state’s booming economy as Inked Brands, a rapidly growing diversified consumer products company, will relocate and expand in Bowling Green with a $10.7 million investment, creating 20 new Kentucky jobs.

“Kentucky’s historic economic momentum in recent years has been fueled by companies continuing to reinvest in the communities they call home,” said *Gov. Beshear*. “Anytime a local business expands here in the commonwealth, it is a testament to the quality of work they are doing, their leadership, workforce and support from local and city officials. Inked Brands has operated here in Kentucky for a decade, and this announcement is an exciting next step for the company and the Bowling Green community. I am looking forward to their continued success.”

To keep up with increased production volumes and product line growth, Inked Brands will add square footage with additional room for future expansion. This investment will enable the company to scale operations to meet rising customer demand, support continued diversification of product categories and strengthen its long-term competitiveness and infrastructure to serve purchasers. The 20 new jobs created from the expansion will bring the company’s statewide employment to over 70.

“We are incredibly excited to bring this opportunity to Bowling Green and continue growing our roots here,” said *Victoria Thompson, director of People, AI and Business Operations at Inked Brands*. “This expansion represents more than just an investment in our business – it’s an investment in the community and people of southcentral Kentucky. We are especially grateful for the support and collaboration of our partners at Thrive Ventures as our building developer, along with the city of Bowling Green, Warren County, the state of Kentucky and the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce. Together, we’re creating an environment where innovation, entrepreneurship and community can thrive.”

Inked Brands is a house of consumer brands that spans every facet of the business – including innovative product design and development, global sourcing, efficient order fulfillment, targeted marketing, customer service and reporting. As an established leader in stationery, office, crafting and gifts, Inked Brands drives sales across multiple platforms, including ecommerce, mass retail and boutique business-to-business. By partnering directly with skilled manufacturers and artisans worldwide, the company transforms creative visions into high-quality realities, powering a portfolio of brands that include 1Canoe2, Studio Calico, Callie Danielle, Pippi Post, Paper Farm Press, Church Notes Co., Flashback Supply and many more.

*Warren County Judge/Executive Doug Gorman* noted the opportunities this project will bring to the area: “The success of Inked Brands shows what happens when local innovation is paired with long-term commitment to our community. Their growth means new opportunities for families right here in Warren County, and it strengthens our position as a hub for technology and business in Kentucky.”

*Bowling Green Mayor Todd Alcott* highlighted the community impact: “Inked Brands is proof that Bowling Green is a place where great ideas and hardworking people can build something extraordinary. This expansion reflects both the strength of our city’s entrepreneurial spirit and the quality of life that attracts and keeps talent here.”

*Ron Bunch, president and CEO of the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce*, emphasized the company’s technology leadership: “Inked Brands represents exactly the type of technology-driven, innovation-focused business that defines Bowling Green’s future. From their start here to their growth on the national stage, they have consistently shown how a company built in Bowling Green can thrive in today’s digital economy. We are proud to partner with them on this next phase of growth.”

Inked Brands’ investment and job creation build on the best five-year period for economic growth in state history.

Since the beginning of his administration, Gov. Beshear has announced more than 1,200 private-sector new-location and expansion projects totaling over $43 billion in announced investments, creating more than 63,200 jobs. This is the highest investment figure secured during the tenure of any governor in the commonwealth’s history and $18 billion more than the next highest total.

The robust job creation has been accompanied by rising wages across the commonwealth. Since 2022, the average incentivized hourly wage has topped $26 in three consecutive years for the first time.

Gov. Beshear has announced some of the largest economic development projects in state history, which have solidified Kentucky as the electric vehicle battery production capital of the United States: Ford Motor Co. and SK On’s transformative $5.8 billion, 5,000-job BlueOval SK Battery Park [ [link removed] ] in Hardin County; AESC [ [link removed] ]’s $2 billion, 2,000-job gigafactory project in Warren County; Toyota [ [link removed] ]’s $1.3 billion investment in Scott County; Ford Motor Co. [ [link removed]:*2F*2Fnewkentuckyhome.ky.gov*2FNewsroom*2FNewsPage*2F20250811_FordEV/1/01000198f24507f8-689b22e9-bbfa-49c0-bf76-0aa132caad4f-000000/y72StB18VncdZSgjiW4rnFokWIaDpJFEZxM3yoxiYoo=420__;JSUlJSU!!Db6frn15oIvDD3UI!gTB2jjeidZCZ6dTEN9I0rq7zgmluFqIjVnIo7xYTYEuQOUlvlwowjev3gLgTdwRvcwT3_0QxUkhPALH6sZWnoDQeBIAcat24DJIUSsc%24 ]’s $2 billion commitment in Louisville; and Shelbyville Battery Manufacturing [ [link removed] ]’s $712 million investment, creating 1,572 jobs in Shelby County, among others.

The Governor’s administration also secured [ [link removed] ] the largest General Fund budget surplus and Rainy Day Fund. In 2023, Kentucky recorded over 2 million jobs filled for the first time ever and has stayed above that number ever since.

Kentucky also secured rating increases from major credit rating agencies Fitch Ratings [ [link removed] ], S&P Global Ratings [ [link removed] ] and Moody’s Investors Service [ [link removed] ].

Earlier this year, Site Selection magazine ranked [ [link removed] ] Kentucky in the top five nationally and second in the South Central region for economic development projects per capita in its 2024 Governor’s Cup rankings. Site Selection also placed [ [link removed]. ] Kentucky second in the South Central region and No. 6 nationally in its 2025 Prosperity Cup ranking, which recognizes state-level economic development agencies for their success in landing capital investment projects.

Gov. Beshear also announced [ [link removed] ] a new initiative, called New Kentucky Home [ [link removed] ], to increase economic investment, attain and attract talent, and increase tourism across the state.

To encourage investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) last month [ [link removed] ] preliminarily approved a 15-year incentive agreement with the company under the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based agreement can provide up to $300,000 in tax incentives based on the company’s investment of $10.7 million and annual targets of:


* Creation and maintenance of 2 Kentucky-resident, full-time jobs across 15 years; and
* Paying an average hourly wage of $26.93, including benefits, across those jobs.

By meeting its annual targets over the agreement term, the company can be eligible to keep a portion of the new tax revenue it generates. The company may claim eligible incentives against its income tax liability and/or wage assessments.

In addition, Inked Brands can receive resources from Kentucky’s workforce service providers. Those include no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job-training incentives.

For more information on Inked Brands, visit inkedbrands.com [ [link removed] ].

A detailed community profile for Warren County can be viewed here [ [link removed] ].

Information on Kentucky’s economic development efforts and programs is available at "NewKentuckyHome.ky.gov" [ [link removed] ]. Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the discussion at "facebook.com/CEDkygov" [ [link removed] ]", on Twitter ""@CEDkygov" [ [link removed] ]", Instagram ""@CEDkygov" [ [link removed] ]" and ""LinkedIn" [ [link removed] ].

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