South African based Stormberg Foods, LLC announced that it will establish its first North American operation in eastern North Carolina.
South African based Stormberg Foods, LLC announced that it will establish its first North American operation in eastern North Carolina. Stormberg Foods first visited the North Carolina East Region in May 2016 based on a referral from US Wire, another company that has recently started operations in eastern North Carolina. US Wire was recruited by the NCEast Alliance in 2015 and worked closely with Vann Rogerson, NCEA Sr. Vice President to find the perfect location for their company. The company settled in Pitt County, North Carolina in 2017 with extensive support from the Pitt County Development Commission.
During the company’s four visits to eastern North Carolina, the owners and principles visited 19 eastern NC counties and discovered that the region provided many resources the company would need to make a successful move to the US. The NCEast Alliance provided full service site selection services to Stromberg Foods, LLC connecting the owners with individuals that could provide counsel on visas, international tax planning, banking, insurance, employee training & costs, food facilities certifications, and USDA approvals among many other topics that assisted the company with their decision to relocate.
After considering several options in eastern North Carolina, Stormberg Foods, LLC., made the decision to locate in Wayne County, NC. The Wayne County Development Alliance’s president, Crystal Gettys was instrumental in convincing the owners that Wayne County offered resources that were ideal to the company’s needs. Gary Moorcroft, owner of Stormberg Foods, LLC said, “At the end of the day, Wayne County offered us what we needed; the right type of factory, proximity to a labor force with the right skill sets, and a very business friendly attitude.”
Stormberg Foods, LLC was awarded both state and local grants for this project; a One NC Fund grant was awarded for $125,000 and a Building Reuse grant of $450,000 was awarded to assist with building renovations. The project will create approximately 60 jobs over a three year ramp up period with an approximate investment of $2.48 million in NC.
Stormberg is a fourth-generation company that produces a meat-based snack that is similar to beef jerky. The company’s product, biltong, is a clean-label, natural, protein snack that is popular among health enthusiasts, athletes, and outdoor enthusiasts. Biltong will be a new product in the US market that will be focused towards individuals that are health conscious and focused on healthy eating and living.
“I have enjoyed working with Gary and his team to try and find the right location for both the business and his family. This is a great win for Wayne County and could not be possible without the collaboration from local, regional and state allies. We look forward to supporting Stormberg Foods as one of our existing industries,” says, Crystal Gettys, President of the Wayne County Development Alliance.
The NCEast Alliance is a regional, public/private, not-for-profit, economic development corporation serving over two dozen counties with approximately 1.3 million residents in several small metropolitan and micropolitan areas in eastern North Carolina. The region extends from the fringe of the Research Triangle to the Atlantic Coast and from Jacksonville/Onslow County to the Virginia state line. The Alliance provides community capacity building, marketing/lead generation, and assists companies with site location and expansion evaluations. For more information on the NCEast Alliance, visit us at www.nceast.org or visit one of our workforce development sites (www.ncworkready.org or www.stemeast.org)