RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina Department of Commerce (NC Commerce) announced Aug. 17 that The Crump Group Inc., a Canadian pet treat manufacturer, has chosen Nash County as the location for its first US-based manufacturing facility.

The Crump Group will invest $13.2 million to develop a manufacturing and distribution facility in Nashville, N.C., creating 160 new jobs in the area.

“Eastern North Carolina is perfect for this Canadian company’s first manufacturing facility in the United States,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “We have great workers, an excellent transportation network, the best sweet potatoes in the world along with other raw materials, and we love our pets.”

The Crump Group is a family-run business based in Ontario. The company sells all-natural, limited-ingredient air-dried pet treat products in the pet specialty, grocery and mass supermarket channels under several brands, including Crumps’ Naturals.

“We’re thrilled with the opportunity to make North Carolina our home in the USA,” said Margot Crump, chief executive officer of The Crump Group. “Knowing that ‘Made in the USA’ resonates with American consumers provided a great deal of incentive to continue our growth trajectory with this expansion. When considering options as to where to locate, it was an easy decision thanks to the state’s proactive approach in attracting new business.”

According to NC Commerce, Crump Group has been using North Carolina-sourced sweet potatoes in its formulas for many years. The decision to establish a US-based facility in the state will streamline the company’s access to the raw material, while also strategically placing it on the East Coast to stimulate growth for the business.

“Agricultural products like sweet potatoes have always been one of North Carolina’s great calling cards on the international stage,” said State Senator Lisa Barnes. “This natural bounty helped attract The Crump Group to Nash County and we’re excited to see their business expand to North Carolina. It’s a ‘sweet’ project for the local agribusiness economy.”

The development project for the Crumps facility will be facilitated in part by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by North Carolina’s Economic Investment Committee on Aug. 17. The grant specified a 12-year term in which the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by roughly $650.5 million. The company is eligible for up to $1.64 million in reimbursements over the next 12 years, over which time the state expects to see net direct revenue generation exceeding $17.2 million.

“It’s exciting to see an international company select rural eastern North Carolina for a major expansion of their business,” said Machelle Baker Sanders, North Carolina’s secretary of commerce. “Our top-quality sweet potatoes have been a part of this company’s success for a while, and now our skilled workforce and strategic location will help The Crump Group see even more success as they grow their business in the United States.”

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