Monogram Foods expands Henry County footprint

Responding to demand for more jerky and meat sticks, the Monogram Foods plant in Henry County has a $65 million expansion underway.

Memphis-based Monogram Foods’ decision to expand the operation also factored in existing infrastructure and production expertise, says Scott Mills, executive vice president and snacking division president, calling Martinsville “a thriving community with a healthy talent base.”

Ground was broken on the project near the end of 2022 and construction is expected to be mostly complete by March 2024, Mills says. The expansion, which will include adding equipment and about 150 employees, is expected to boost the plant’s potential capacity by around 40%, and upon completion, the plant will be the county’s second largest private employer.

In June, the company secured $8 million in financing from CEI Capital Management LLC (CCML), a subsidiary of community development financial institution Coastal Enterprises, which will assist with rising construction costs, according to CCML.

This is the sixth time the packaged snack food company has expanded the Henry plant since purchasing it in 2006. Previous expansions included additions for jerky production, warehousing and a biogas energy plant.

“The current complex is 54 acres with four operating buildings, a total of 287,000 square feet under roof,” Mills says. “Current expansion adds 13,000 square feet, for a total of 300,000 square feet under roof.”

Monogram Foods Martinsville employs approximately 600 people. That figure is estimated to reach 756 when it’s finished, Mills says. New positions will include additional line, warehouse, maintenance, quality assurance and janitorial workers, plus plant supervisors.

The plant has helped to diversify the industries in the Martinsville area, which saw its textile and furniture manufacturers move overseas in the 1990s, says Mark Heath, president and CEO of Martinsville Henry County Economic Development. It also supports the community by providing an annual grants program for local children’s organizations and sponsoring a local sports complex, says Henry County Administrator Dale Wagoner.

“It will most certainly have significant positive impacts on Martinsville, too,” says Glen Adams, Martinsville’s interim city manager. “The council is focused on finding avenues to spark housing development within the city, and this could be that spark. It will certainly increase other investors’ interests in our region, and we have several Martinsville-Henry County Industrial Park options primed and ready for additional expansion.”