Wholesome Foods to expand in Shenandoah County

Wholesome Foods Inc. will expand its meat processing operation in Shenandoah County by adding a new, USDA-inspected slaughter facility with a $1.2 million investment, creating 12 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Thursday.

Nearly all the livestock used at the new facility will be sourced from Virginia farms, according to Youngkin’s office.

“We are excited to grow our business with the help of the commonwealth and Shenandoah County through the AFID program,” Wholesome Foods President Wes Pence said in a statement. “This expansion will increase our capacity, add jobs to our work force and provide a much-needed service to the community and local farmers for years to come.”

The family-owned business has been part of Shenandoah County’s business and agricultural scene for more than 50 years. Established in 1964 by Dean and Syvilla Pence as a home delivery service of poultry, meat and eggs to the Washington, D.C.-area market, the company has grown into a full-scale food distributor and now supplies wholesale accounts in the mid-Atlantic, as well as serving consumers with meat and cheese. After experiencing backlogs from local meat processors the company relied on for beef and pork products, Wholesale Foods decided to add in-house slaughter capacity at its existing operation and expanding its meat processing capabilities, according to a news release.

“As Virginia’s largest private industry, our agricultural sector draws its strength from the diversity of production and the entrepreneurial spirit of families like the Pences, whose company has served the Shenandoah community for more than 50 years,” Youngkin said in a statement. “I thank Wholesome Foods for its commitment to the commonwealth and wish them success in the future serving the farmers and consumers of Virginia and beyond.” 

The Virginia Department of Agricultural Services worked with Shenandoah County and the Shenandoah County Industrial Development Authority to secure the project. Youngkin approved a $40,000 grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund. Shenandoah County will match it with local funds.