RICHMOND, VA. — Red River Foods, Inc., a supplier of specialty snacks, said it will invest $16.5 million to establish a warehouse and processing plant for tree nuts, seeds and dried fruits in Henrico County, Va. The facility will create 60 new jobs.
“We have called the Richmond region home since my father, Jim Phipps, moved the company from New York City to Virginia in 1991,” said Dan Phipps, chief executive officer of Red River Foods. “Although we have experienced tremendous growth since that time, a majority of our personnel expansion has been concentrated in cashew-growing countries within Africa and Asia. Investing in Henrico County is further investment in our value chain. Creating valuable jobs here in our local community is one step further in connecting our farmers to our customers.”
Headquartered in the City of Richmond, Red River Foods supplies more than 350 companies within the bakery, dairy, confectionery, cereal and snack food industries with over 40 products sourced from 30 countries. The company has offices on five continents and more than 1,000 employees.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the Henrico Economic Development Authority to secure the project for Virginia. Red River Foods is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. The company is also eligible to receive benefits from The Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program.
“The news that Red River Foods is expanding in Henrico County is a positive development for Virginia’s economy,” said Stephen A. Edwards, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority. “Red River sources products from around the world, and The Port of Virginia is ready to help this company extend its reach by playing an integral role in its logistics supply chain. We look forward to helping Red River leverage the efficiency of this world-class port to help the company grow and prosper for years to come.”