NC: Severn Peanut Company Upgrades Elizabethtown Operations, Creating 44 New Jobs

Severn Peanut Company plans to upgrade and renovate its facility in Elizabethtown, N.C. The $17 million project is expected to create 44 jobs in Bladen County.

The company, a peanut sheller, will upgrade equipment and renovate the Elizabethtown operation to produce bulk peanut butter.

“We are grateful for the continued support we have received from local and state officials who have been integral in moving the project forward,” said Dallas Barnes, President & CEO of Meherrin. “We also want to thank Governor Cooper and his office for their leadership and commitment to North Carolina industries like ours. We are excited about the opportunities this project will create for our customers as well as current and future team members, here in the state we call home.”

As an incentive, a performance-based grant of $150,000 was awarded from the One North Carolina Fund. The One NC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All One NC grants require matching participation from local governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

“Providing most of the nation’s in-shell peanuts, North Carolina ranks fifth in the nation for peanut production,” noted N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “Our agricultural legacy, manufacturing prowess, and innovative industry support help agribusinesses thrive in our state and improve the economic prosperity of rural North Carolina.”

North Carolina-based Severn Peanut, a division of Meherrin Agricultural & Chemical Company, shells and processes peanuts for growers and retailers. The multi-generation, family-owned parent company is vertically integrated with shelling, roasting, and packaging services for its North Carolina-grown peanuts.

In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), other partners in this project include the North Carolina General Assembly, North Carolina Community College System, Bladen County, Bladen County Economic Development Commission, and the Town of Elizabethtown.