The U.S. Commerce Department has awarded Halifax County a $779,203 grant to make infrastructure improvements to the business park where Empire Foods plans to open a manufacturing plant.

Raleigh developer Greg Hatem announced in September that Empire would open a food processing facility in the Halifax Corporate Park.

The company expects to have its new facility operating by June. Empire Foods will be the first tenant at the new, 700-acre Halifax Corporate Park.

The federal grant is being issued through the Economic Development Administration.

Empire is expected to create 200 jobs over the next five years at its facility. The company will receive state and local incentives worth nearly $2 million if it meets hiring goals.

Empire is focusing on selling large packages of fruits and vegetables to hotels, restaurants, school systems, the military and other institutions.
 

Raleigh developer Greg Hatem announced today that his company Empire Foods will open a new food processing facility in Halifax County and create 200 jobs over the next five years.

Empire Foods is licensing technology from N.C. State University to produce food products that don’t require refrigeration, but maintain the flavor, color and nutrients of fresh food.

The company will invest $2.5 million and will lease a 35,000-square-foot production facility that is to be built by the county at the new Halifax Corporate Park.

The facility will produce fruits and vegetables, initially focusing on military and restaurant markets.

The project is getting a $400,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.