The plant is a former WhiteWave Foods factory. © Google
Danone will invest ‘up to $60 million’ in its plant-based beverage factory in Mount Crawford, Virginia.
The company will add new production capacity and expand its warehouse at the facility, creating up to 49 new jobs. The factory is a former WhiteWave site, and the capital injection is being conducted through DanoneWave – the newly rebranded US dairy business that emerged from Danone’s $12.5 billion acquisition of WhiteWave Foods.
Dan Poland, chief supply chain officer for DanoneWave, said: “Our success as a business is integrally linked to the ecosystem in which we operate and we are grateful to Virginia, the governor, his extended team, and everyone in Rockingham County for being so encouraging and for providing such a productive environment. With the support of our employees, business partners and the community at large, including the commonwealth [of Virginia], we are able to provide better-for-you food and beverage choices.”
DanoneWave’s plant-based portfolio includes brands such as Silk, So Delicious Dairy Free and Vega.
Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe added: “We are thrilled to carry on Virginia’s 30-year corporate partnership with legacy WhiteWave Foods to DanoneWave, and look forward to the company’s next chapter in Rockingham County as it expands its product portfolio. The Shenandoah Valley has emerged as a hub in the food and beverage manufacturing industry, and growing this critical sector is an important part of our efforts to diversify and build the new Virginia economy.
“The commonwealth is proud that our existing businesses continue to reinvest and expand their global footprints from Virginia, and we are honoured to boast DanoneWave on our corporate roster.”
Todd Haymore, secretary of commerce and trade for Virginia, added: “DanoneWave’s decision to expand at the Mount Crawford facility, which employs more than 500 Virginians, is a big win for Rockingham County, the region, and the commonwealth. Virginia employs over 35,000 in the food processing sector, and the impact of this thriving industry cannot be overstated. We thank DanoneWave for this significant investment and for supporting the growth of food and beverage in Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley.”
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