Food Processing
The Roanoke Region has an established food manufacturing industry made up of nearly 50 firms employing more than 1,800 in the region. Roanoke food processors benefit from strategic regional advantages:
- Plentiful supply of water with current demand only 43 percent of available daily supply.
- High water quality – water quality reports available showing all regulated substances well within ideal goals in treated water.
- Low business costs including construction costs, costs of doing business, and costs of living that are well below national averages.
- Virginia has the sixth lowest tax burden on new investments in the U.S.
- Two-thirds of the U.S. population is within a day’s drive providing fast, convenient access to your markets.
- Virginia is a right-to-work state.
RESEARCH CONNECTION
Businesses benefit from Virginia Tech, the Commonwealth’s premier research university and partner with industry.
Tech has the only food science program in Virginia and one of the premier food science programs worldwide with a curriculum fully accredited by the Institute of Food Technologists. The Department of Food Science and Technology has specialists in topical areas ranging from microencapsulation to food safety.
Virginia Tech human nutrition and food scientists conduct research that spans the continuum from producer to consumer. The result is practical solutions for safely producing, processing, and distributing nutritious foods and new knowledge about human and animal health.
WHO'S HERE
Meat Products: EcoFriendly Foods, Gunnoe Sausage, J&P Meat Processing, Monogram Food Solutions, Thompson Meat Processing, Willis Processing
Wineries: Amrheins, Chateau Morrissette, Fincastle Vineyard, Peaks of Otter Winery, Rockbridge Vineyard, Valhalla, Villa Appalaccia
Dairy Products: Homestead Creamery, Land-O-Sun Dairies
Soft Drinks/Beverages: Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated, Pepsi Bottling Group
Confections: Baylee’s Best Chocolates, Cocoa Hill Chocolate Company, Nancy’s Homemade Fudge
Commercial Baking: Maple Leaf Foods, Mennel Milling
Animal Food: Big Spring Mill, Exchange Milling, Tetra, Vaughn’s Mill
Spices and Extracts: Southern Flavoring
Snack Foods: Frito-Lay
