Richmond snack company investing $16.5M in Henrico facility

Richmond-based specialty snack supplier Red River Foods Group Inc. will invest $16.5 million to establish a warehouse and processing facility in Henrico County, creating 60 jobs, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Monday.

Virginia competed with Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania for the project. The center will process tree nuts, seeds and dried fruits and will be built at 2840 Sprouse Drive in eastern Henrico.

“Red River Foods’ significant expansion speaks volumes about the business climate and top-notch talent in Central Virginia,” Northam said in a statement. “Food and beverage processing is Virginia’s second-largest manufacturing sector and one of our fastest-growing industries. Red River Foods has been based in Richmond for 30 years, and the company’s continued success here is another important testament to the commonwealth’s status as the best place to do business.”

Red River Foods supplies more than 350 companies with over 40 products sourced from 30 countries. It has offices on five continents and employs more than 1,000 workers.

Red River Foods CEO Dan Phipps said, “We have called the Richmond region home since my father, Jim Phipps, moved the company from New York City to Virginia in 1991. … Investing in Henrico County is further investment in our value chain. Creating valuable jobs here in our local community is one step further in connecting our farmers to our customers.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the Henrico Economic Development Authority to compete for the project. Red River Foods is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. The company is also eligible to receive benefits from The Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program, according to the governor’s statement.