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Food Processing

The East Tennessee region provides an exceptional location for the food processing and distribution industry with a plentiful supply of municipal water and reliable electricity as well as a growing and trainable workforce, pro-business climate and favorable operating costs.

Accessibility

• Within a day's drive of 70% of U.S. markets
• Three interstate highways connect in the region: 1-40, I-75 and I-81
• Served by CSX and Norfolk Southern Railroads
• Barge service on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway System

Workforce

• Flexible, growing regional workforce of 550,000
• 56,000 employed in manufacturing with over 4,000 currently employed in food processing
• Labor costs 16% below the U.S. average (Bureau of Labor Statistics 1st Q 2009, ETEDA)
• State of Tennessee workforce training assistance programs
• Competitive Workers Compensation rates
• Right-to-work state

Competitive Business Climate

• Electricity generated by the Tennessee Valley Authority at rates 19% below the U.S. industrial average
• Electricity reliability at 99.999% for the past 9 years
• Attractive state, local and utility incentives for new job creation and capital investment
• No state property tax
• Competitive corporate taxes
• Available targeted jobs tax credit
• Competitive gas, water and sewer rates
• Building costs 19% below the national average (RSMeans Construction Index 2010)

Resources

• Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Tennessee Knoxville
• Food Safety Center of Excellence, University of Tennessee Knoxville
• Center for Agriculture and Food Security and Preparedness
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Food Processing Companies in the 15-county region

• Advance Food Company
• Bush Brothers & Company
• Family Brands International (Elm Hill Meat Products)
• Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
• Interstate Brands International (Merita Bakery)
• Kraft Pizza Company Inc
• Lance Inc
• Monterey Mushrooms Inc
• Reily Foods Company (JFG Products)
• Sara Lee Bakery
• Sysco Food Services
• Swaggerty Sausage Co Inc
• Wampler's Farm Sausage Co. Inc.
  

Food Distribution Companies in the 15-county region

• Food Lion Corporation
• HT Hackney
• IJ Company
• U.S. Food Service