The food service contractor for Boston’s public school system announced Monday that it plans to open a facility next month in Dorchester where it can make fresh hot meals, a move that should delight students who hate eating the previously frozen entrees served up in most schools.

Whitsons Culinary Group currently makes about 165,000 meals per week for Boston students at its facility in Islip, N.Y., where individual servings are flash-frozen and then trucked to Boston.

Whitsons said it plans to lease the former Katsiroubas Produce property at 40 Newmarket Square, where it will employ 75 people. It plans to make most entrees fresh, although items like pizza would be pre-frozen.

“We are really excited about being able to offer fresh meals to Boston school students,’’ Karen Dittrich, director of marketing for Whitsons, said in an interview.

More than half of Boston’s public schools now serve the previously frozen meals because they lack full-service kitchens — the buildings were constructed decades ago when most students would bring their own lunch. Cafeteria workers warm up the meals in large convection ovens.

A growing number of students, parents, educators, and elected officials have pushed for more fresh food in schools, saying the frozen meals symbolize everything wrong with the city’s lunch program.

Monday’s announcement prompted a tepid response from the school system and city leaders.

Whitsons made its announcement as its three-year contract with the school system is about to expire. The school system is in the process of soliciting bids for a new vendor. Whitsons is expected to submit a proposal.

The school system initially reacted with a guarded statement, saying the Boston public school system “anticipates further conversation with Whitsons to better understand how the company’s new location will impact the quality of meals for our students.’’

Pressed for more details, district spokesman Daniel O’Brien elaborated later in the day.

“It appears to be a wonderful opportunity, but right now we have had no formal discussions on implementing changes to our food service program,’’ O’Brien said.

“The Boston Public Schools are always open to new ways to increase access to healthy fresh and locally produced meals for our students.’’

The company said Monday night that it had no formal discussions with the district about the new facility before making its announcement.

City Councilor Ayanna Pressley, who has been pushing for more fresh school lunches, said the timing of the announcement was odd, given that the school system is seeking bids for a new food-service contract.

She said she learned about the announcement in Monday’s press release.

“I don’t know if it is a step in the right direction,’’ Pressley said of Whitsons’ decision to open a food production facility in the city. “We are still trying to figure out who the best vendor will be.’’

The company says it intends to prepare hot entrees, sandwiches, and salads using “wholesome, natural and organic ingredients, including many items that are sourced from local food vendors and farmers.’’

“Our new facility will enable us to deliver freshly prepared breakfast, lunch, and after-school snack options for Greater Boston,’’ said Paul Whitcomb, president and chief executive officer of Whitsons.

The new location means that Whitsons will relocate a smaller operation on Quincy Street in Dorchester, where it had assembled sandwiches and snack packs, to the new facility. About 30 people work there.

Although Boston is the only school system in Massachusetts for which Whitsons provides prepackaged meals, the company is hoping to add other school systems in the state as customers, pointing out that other school systems also have schools without kitchens.

The company said it hopes to start producing some meals by June and be in full operation by the fall.

James Vaznis can be reached at james.vaznis@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @globevaznis.