Source:  PRESS RELEASE, /20/11
 

Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that BestSweet, a manufacturer of both consumer healthcare and confectionery products, will expand in Iredell County.  The company plans to create an additional 37 jobs and invest $6.4 million during the next three years in Mooresville.  The project was made possible in part by a $50,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.

“BestSweet is investing in North Carolina, because they know North Carolina has invested in its people,” said Gov. Bev Perdue. “The company’s growing commitment to Iredell County and North Carolina is a testament to our knowledgeable, skilled workforce and strong business climate that were built through our investments in education.”

BestSweet Inc., based in Mooresville, manufactures both consumer healthcare and confectionery products, across a mix of contract, private label and branded platforms. Over the past 18 months, the company has invested $14 million in its Mooresville operation, adding a 40,000 sq. ft. in manufacturing space and a 140,000 sq. ft. warehouse and distribution facility, while adding 70 new jobs. BestSweet currently employs 272 full time people in Iredell County.  BestSweet has acquired a competitor in the northeast and this project will allow the company to bring those production capabilities to North Carolina.  

Salaries will vary by job function, but the average annual wage for the new jobs will be $39,215 plus benefits.  The Iredell County average annual wage is $36,348.

“Mooresville and North Carolina has facilitated many of the opportunities for BestSweet and afforded the company the ability to attract talent at all levels because it is a both a great area to live in, work in, and provides a positive business environment,” said Richard Zulman, CEO of BestSweet.

The One NC Fund provides financial assistance, through local governments, to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state.  Companies receive no money up front and must meet job creation and investment performance standards to qualify for grant funds.  These grants also require and are contingent upon local matches.

North Carolina continues to have a top-ranked business climate.  Through Gov. Perdue’s JobsNOW initiative, the state works aggressively to create jobs, train and retrain its workforce, and lay the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic future.

Through use of the One NC Fund, more than 50,000 jobs and $9 billion in investment have been created since 2001.  Other partners that helped with this project include: the N.C. Department of Commerce, the Town of Mooresville and Iredell County.

For more information about BestSweet, including job opportunities, go to www.bestsweet.com.