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Chiquita to create more than 400 jobs in Mecklenburg County
Story Date: 11/30/2011
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Source: PRESS RELEASE, 11/29/11
Gov. Bev Perdue announced today that world renowned produce supplier Chiquita Brands International Inc., will locate its Global Corporate Headquarters in Charlotte. Chiquita expects to create more than 400 jobs over the next three years and invest $14.1 million in the new global headquarters in Mecklenburg County. The announcement was made possible in part by a state Job Development Investment Grant and a One North Carolina Fund award.
“Chiquita looked across America for a place to locate its global headquarters and they chose Charlotte, North Carolina,” said Gov. Perdue. “Once again this state’s tremendous workforce, top business climate and accessible infrastructure attracted an internationally competitive company.”
Chiquita is a leading international marketer and distributor of fresh produce, which is sold under the Chiquita and Fresh Express brands. The company is committed to improving world nutrition, as a leading international marketer and distributor of nutritious, high-quality fresh and value-added food products – from energy-rich bananas, blends of convenient green salads, other fruits to healthy snacking products. Chiquita employs more than 21,000 people and has operations in nearly 70 countries worldwide.
“Charlotte provided the most compelling economic offer and the region is an attractive community for our employees,” said Fernando Aguirre, chairman and chief executive officer. “Importantly, the Charlotte airport provides improved access to international markets, customers and Chiquita operations around the world.”
Chiquita is in final negotiations to locate its new global headquarters at the landmark NASCAR Plaza. While salaries will vary by job function, the overall average wage for the new jobs will be more than $106,000, plus benefits. The annual average wage in Mecklenburg County is $51,584.
“This month Forbes magazine again ranked North Carolina as the third best state for doing business and as having the best regulatory climate in the nation for business,” said Rep. Becky Carney, of Charlotte. “These accolades were not earned overnight. For years we wisely made the investments that companies need: in education, in workforce training, in transportation and in critical infrastructure. These are the building blocks of a business climate that helps businesses grow and thrive, and they are exactly what Chiquita looked for when it searched for a new home.”
“Any corporate executive will tell you that when they are looking for a headquarters location, one of their top requirements is a skilled, educated workforce,” said Sen. Charlie Dannelly, of Charlotte. “Chiquita knew they would find that in North Carolina with our past investments in our schools, universities and community college training.”
To help facilitate this expansion, the company has been awarded a grant of up to $2.503 million from the state’s One North Carolina Fund. This fund assists the state in industry recruitment and expansion by providing financial assistance through local governments to attract business projects deemed by the governor to be vital to a healthy and growing state economy. One North Carolina Fund grants require a local match, and this grant is contingent upon approval of local incentives.
In addition, the state Economic Investment Committee today voted to award a Job Development Investment Grant to Chiquita. JDIGs are awarded only to new and expanding businesses and industrial projects whose benefits exceed the costs to the state and which would not be undertaken in North Carolina without the grant.
Under the terms of the JDIG, the company is eligible to receive a grant equal to 75 percent of the state personal income withholding taxes derived from the creation of new jobs for each of the 11 years in which the company meets annual performance targets. If Chiquita meets the targets called for under the agreement and sustains them for 11 years, the JDIG could yield as much as $16.13 million in maximum benefits for the company.
In addition, up to $5.377 million could be added to the state’s Utility Fund for infrastructure improvements in economically distressed counties. When a JDIG is awarded in the state’s more economically prosperous counties such as Mecklenburg, 25 percent of the grant is allocated to the Utility Fund to encourage economic development in less prosperous counties.
Other partners who assisted with this announcement include: The N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Community Colleges, N.C. Department of Revenue, City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, Charlotte Chamber, Duke Energy and Charlotte Center City Partners.
For more information about Chiquita, including job opportunities, visit www.chiquita.com.
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