Empire Foods

The latest addition to the Empire Properties family is Empire Foods, a food processing company that uses new technology licensed from N.C. State University to preserve fresh, local produce, retaining up to 98 percent of their nutrients and making them shelf-stable for up to a year without refrigeration.

Because Empire Foods is committed to sustainability, the company only uses local produce, such as strawberries, apples, blueberries and tomatoes, grown by farmers from the region near the manufacturing plant.

The technology and process, which are patented and unique to Empire Foods, was developed by top food industry researchers at N.C. State, who recently won the highest award from the food industry, the Industrial Achievement Award from The Institute of Food Technologists. Previous award winners include lactose-free milk and pasteurized liquid egg, which have become multi-billion dollar products.

While Empire Foods is still in the initial stages of development, the company is working to open its first plant in Eastern North Carolina or Virginia within the next year. We hope to generate more than 200 manufacturing and agriculture jobs in economically affected, tobacco-dependent towns and regions.

Empire Foods hopes to supply produce to restaurants, schools, the military and other institutional consumers.

For more information about Empire Foods, please visit www.empire-foods.com.