Italy based Veronesi Holding, a manufacturer and producer of cured meats, will establish its first U.S. production operation.
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This investment in Rockingham County will create more than 150 new jobs over the next four years. The company plans to explore the possibility of working with smaller Virginia farms for its American production needs.
Located on 75.8 acres in the county’s Innovation Village, the new facility will be used to age, process, and package the company’s products for distribution, increasing its cured meat and charcuterie customer base in the U.S. market. Governor Northam and his staff met with company officials in Italy during his first international trade and marketing mission in July 2018.
Veronesi Holding S.p.A is an Italian privately traded company headquartered in Verona, Italy with more than €3.1 billion in sales in 2020 and 9,000 employees. The company is among the top five Fast Moving Consumer Groups in Italy and is the largest vertically integrated poultry and hog producer in the country.
Its products range from feed to fresh meats and cured meats. Veronesi has grown through its brands, AIA and Negroni, which are regarded as top names in the Italian agroindustry throughout Europe and across the globe. Negroni has been a leader in the premium delicatessen meats market for over a century.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Rockingham County, the Shenandoah Valley Partnership, and the Port of Virginia to secure this project for Virginia. Based on the company’s planned investment of approximately $100 million and creation of more than 150 new jobs over the next four years, Governor Northam approved a $3.8 million grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Rockingham County with the project.
Veronesi Holding is eligible to receive benefits from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program, as well as a Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit for new, full-time jobs created. Funding and services to support the company’s employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program. ■
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