New production facility will create approximately 100 jobs
Do Good Foods L.L.C., a company that upcycles surplus grocery store food into nutrient-dense animal feed, will invest more than US$100 million in a new production facility in Selma, North Carolina. The new operation will employ approximately 100 workers at wages averaging more than US$60,000 per year.
Johnston County Commissioners joined the Selma Town Council in approving a package of performance-based financial incentives in support of the project.
“Innovation and agribusiness are two words that easily apply to Johnston County’s economy, and few companies combine both those qualities in a more exciting way than Do Good Foods,” said R.S. “Butch” Lawter, Jr., chairman of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners. “This visionary company has come to the right place at just the right time, and we offer it our warmest welcome. The county is eager to support the success of what you’re doing for Selma, Johnston County and for the world.”
Selma Mayor Byron McAllister called the company’s arrival “a milestone for Eastfield Crossing and evidence that Selma’s investments in its economic amenities are paying off.”
Along with the county, Selma has partnered closely with AdVenture Development L.L.C. in moving the 400+ acre planned community from concept into reality.
“Congratulations to Do Good Foods for the success that is driving its new presence here,” McAllister said. “Our town is proud to be part of your impressive growth strategy and we welcome you at The Crossroads of Tradition and Innovation.”
Founded by the Kamine family, Do Good Foods has created a closed-loop system with state-of-the-art infrastructure designed to upcycle surplus grocery food (after community donations occur) into nutritious animal feed. Do Good Foods first product, Do Good Chicken, is raised using this healthy feed and can be purchased locally, giving consumers an opportunity to make an immediate environmental impact.
“We are excited about the opportunity to expand into the Johnston County market and work with the great local and state officials who have made choosing this location for our next facility an easy decision and one that we hope will benefit the community, the environment and the local economy for years to come,” said Matt Kamine, co-CEO and co-founder of Do Good Foods.
Do Good Foods will assume occupancy of industrial space at Eastfield Crossing. Launched in 2019, the mixed-use community is located at the junction of I-95 and U.S. Highway 70 (future I-42). Once fully staffed, the Do Good Foods facility will produce an annual payroll impact of approximately US$6 million for the region’s economy.
Its operations will add more than US$73.6 million per year to Johnston County’s GDP, according to an analysis by Dr. Michael Walden, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor Emeritus at North Carolina State University and President of Walden Economic Consulting L.L.C. The site will also generate US$552,486 in county and municipal tax revenues each year, Walden found.
“Consumer foods is a legacy industry for Johnston County, and the arrival of Do Good Foods puts a really forward-looking touch on this critical segment of our economy,” said Randy Jones, chairman of the Johnston County Economic Development Advisory Board. “We congratulate and commend our state and municipal partners, as well as the hard work of JoCo’s Economic Development Office, for making this innovative company our newest industrial resident.”
