Winston-Salem is welcoming fresh business. Foster Caviness, a produce warehousing and distribution company based in Guilford County, is expanding to the Twin City. The move is expected to generate ~$6.25 million in capital investments over five years.

The 122-year old company, which is also known as Foster USA, will take over a 165,000-sqft facility on Lowery Street, where it plans to start construction on six new ripening rooms in December. The plant is expected to be fully operational by March 2025.

The company will bring 140 current Guilford County employees to the Winston-Salem facility and will hire another 165 workers to assist with operations. Those positions will include delivery drivers, warehouse associates, account managers, and other roles. The average wage will be $55,452.

"We’re excited to deepen our roots in this wonderful community to build the most robust fresh food supply chain in the mid-Atlantic," said Foster CEO and Owner Scott Bland. "At Foster, people are the heart of everything we do, and we believe connecting people to fresh, quality food is paramount."

The company's recent acquisition of Greenville Produce necessitated its need for more space to meet demand. | Photo courtesy Foster Caviness

City, county, and economic leaders worked to make the move a reality. City Council unanimously approved an incentives package totaling $86,550 over five years on Tuesday, Sept. 3. Forsyth County Commissioners followed suit on Thursday, Sept. 5, unanimously approving a separate package totaling $88,749.

"Forsyth County offers a lot of opportunity and access for distribution and logistics operations, and this is one of our key industry sectors for economic growth," said Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. President and CEO Mark Owens. "This project exemplifies our location’s advantages in the sector, including prime facilities, ease of transportation, and a strong talent pipeline."

According to county records, Winston-Salem beat out Columbia, SC and Charlotte for the project.