Monogram Food Solutions to invest $36.475m to expand in Virginia

Memphis-based manufacturer of value-added processed meats, Monogram Food Solutions, will invest $36.475m in expanding its meat snacks production operation in Virginia.

The company will invest in the Henry County Patriot Centre Industrial Park. which will result in the creation of around 200 new jobs.

The project was secured in Virginia by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, along with the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation.

Speaking about the project, Governor of Virginia Terry McAuliffe said: "Monogram Food Solutions is a major employer in Martinsville-Henry County, and an investment of this calibre creating 200 new jobs is a tremendous win for the region as it continues to rebound economically.

"The company is putting more people back to work and helping to diversify the industry base, both of which are critical for building a new Virginia economy."

The company was founded in 2004 after a group of Memphis investors bought the King Cotton and Circle B Brand Meats business from the Sara Lee Corporation.

Its Monogram Meat Snacks division is one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of quality meat snacks, including jerky, meat and cheese snacks, kippered beef sticks and pickled sausages.

As well as the Henry County facility, the company operates facilities in Minnesota, Indiana, Texas and Iowa, and also produces label brand meat snacks, smoked meats, corn dogs and pre-cooked bacon for strategic partners across the country.

Chairman and CEO of Monogram Food Solutions Karl Schledwitz said: "The workforce in Martinsville has been outstanding, and, because of this, we are expanding now for the third time. When we purchased the facility in 2009, there were about 125 associates. This expansion will take employment to over 600."

A grant of $400,000 was approved from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to assist Henry County with the project. The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission approved $835,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds.

The company is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Programme, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. It will also be eligible to receive a Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit and sales and use tax exemptions on manufacturing equipment.

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Image: Monogram Food Solutions produces meat snacks, including jerky, meat and cheese snacks, kippered beef sticks and pickled sausages. Photo: courtesy of criminalatt / FreeDigitalPhotos.net.