CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- California-based Valley Fine Foods, a consumer manufacturer of international foods, will open its new East Coast manufacturing operations in Forest City, creating 305 new jobs over the next three years, Gov. Bev. Perdue announced Friday.
With headquarters in Napa Valley, Calif., Valley Fine Foods produces gourmet pasta dishes, including fresh ravioli and tortellini, with organic and gluten-free varieties. The family-owned company started making fresh pasta in 1984.
The project was made possible in part by a state Job Development Investment Grant, according to a release.
The average pay for the new jobs will be $31,636 plus benefits. The average annual wage in Rutherford County is $29,172.
In the release, Ryan Tu, president and CEO of Valley Fine Foods, said the company had a number of opportunities in other states, but picked Rutherford County because of its “strong labor force, financial assistance and great sense of community.”
Under the terms of the state grant the company is eligible to receive a grant equal to 70 percent of the state personal income withholding taxes derived from the creation of new jobs for each of the ten years in which the company meets annual performance targets. If Valley Fine Foods meets the targets called for under the agreement and sustains them for ten years, the grant could yield $2.78 million in maximum benefits for the company, according to the governor’s office.
For information about Valley Fine Foods, including job opportunities, go to www.valleyfinefoods.com.
