Agribusiness Thrives in Delaware
5 AUGUST, 2019
Agribusiness companies are strengthening their foothold in Delaware as the state continues to be a favored destination for food production and agscience companies to invest in and grow. Agriculture in Delaware has been there since colonial times. Today, approximately 500,000 acres generates about $1.2 billion a year in cash farm sales. In Delaware, this noble industry produces food for the country and the world.
Agriculture is the driving force behind Delaware’s economy. Farming is still a family business in the First State. About 90 percent of farms are either sole or family proprietorships or family-owned corporations. Just under 40 percent of the state’s land is devoted to agricultural production, making it the predominant land use.
Major agribusiness companies continue to heavily invest in the state, generating jobs and furthering Delaware’s economy. Read on to learn how some of the leading businesses in the agribusiness industry are building a prosperous future in Delaware.
Dot Foods Plans its 12th Distribution Center in Delaware
Dot Foods, the largest food industry redistributor in North America, is setting up a new $36-million facility on 35 acres of land in Bear, Delaware to better serve its customers in Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. This new center will include more than 111,000 square feet of refrigerated, frozen and dry storage warehouse space, 12,600 square feet of office space, and a 9,700 square foot garage. They plan to employ 200 people by 2022.
JustFoodForDogs Finalizes Plans to Invest in New Castle County
JustFoodforDogs is the breakthrough innovator offering highly nutritious meals for dogs. Based in California for the last 8 years, JustFoodforDogs has finalized its plans to expand all over the country, including Delaware. It plans to set up its first Delaware kitchen spread over an expansive 21,000 square foot space in New Castle County. This is expected to employ 50 employees with an estimated payroll of $2.24M, producing 30,000 pounds of food daily to be distributed direct-to-consumer via online sales, as well as to JustFoodsforDogs pantries throughout the United States.
“JustFoodForDogs choosing Delaware reflects our state’s reputation for welcoming innovative businesses of all sizes, as well as Delaware’s solid experience and expertise in the food industry,” said Governor John Carney. “We are proud to be the first East Coast kitchen and we’re excited that their presence will create new jobs in New Castle County.”
Perdue Named “America’s Best-In-State Employers 2019”
Forbes has named Perdue Farms one of “America’s Best in-State Employers 2019” in North Carolina and Delaware. Perdue Farms, Perdue Foods, and Perdue Agribusiness have more than 6,000 employees in Delaware. Believing in responsible food and agriculture, they are empowering consumers, customers, and farmers through trusted choices in products and services. Their future is all about getting bigger and getting better.
FMC Plans Investment in Delaware
FMC Corporation, a publicly-traded agricultural sciences company, plans to invest more than $50 million over the next three years in capital improvement projects, including a state-of-the-art reconfiguration of a greenhouse and research facility at the company’s Global Research and Development headquarters in Newark, Delaware. A leader in developing agricultural products, FMC continues to contribute significantly to the economic progress of the First State.