Source: PRESS RELEASE, 12/6/11

Gov. Bev Perdue announced that world-renowned produce supplier Chiquita Brands International Inc., will locate its global corporate headquarters in North Carolina, creating 400 jobs and bringing an investment of $14.1 million.

The announcement is a huge win for North Carolina that caps off an aggressive effort by Gov. Perdue and state and local leaders to recruit Chiquita.

"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."

Gov. Perdue announced the company's decision in Charlotte with Fernando Aguirre, chairman and chief executive officer of Chiquita.

Aguirre recalled the first meeting he had with Gov. Perdue:
"The moment we finished that meeting, she looked at me, and she said, 'Fernando, I'm going to make this happen,'" Aguirre said. "We knew right away that we had a governor here that meant business."

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.

The announcement capped off a remarkable 34 days in which Gov. Perdue announced 2,067 new jobs for North Carolina, including some 550 projected jobs with the filming of "Iron Man 3" in Wilmington.