COLUMBUS COUNTY FEATURED IN 

BUSINESS XPANSION JOURNAL

October 1, 2009 - Columbus County’s agribusiness initiatives and recent successes are highlighted in the cover story of the October issue of Business Xpansion Journal.

Food Processor to Locate in Columbus County

Company to create 54 jobs

May 4, 2009 – Whiteville, N.C. – The Columbus County Economic Development Commission Announced today that Nice Blends Corp. will open a food-processing facility near Whiteville, investing $2.5 million and creating 54 jobs over three years. The New York-based firm purchased a 57,000-square-foot building in the Southeast Regional Park on Highway 130.

Nice Blends will produce sweet-potato fries, sweet-potato pies, fried-chicken breading and salt-and-pepper packets at its Columbus County facility. Nice Blends, founded in 1992 by President Barrie Nadi, is moving its operations from Bronx, New York.

“Columbus County is an ideal location for our production facility,” said Nadi. “The area is home to many high quality sweet potato growers and its proximity to Interstate 95 provides excellent access to our customers along the east coast.”

North Carolina ranked number one in the nation for number of sweet potatoes grown in 2007. Last year, Columbus County farmers harvested an estimated 1,900 acres of sweet potatoes, according to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  

“This announcement is a double win for our area’s economy,” said James Prevatte, Chairman of the Columbus County Board of Commissioners. “Nice Blend will create much needed manufacturing jobs and has a history of buying from North Carolina farmers.”  

North Carolina’s Southeast Partnership generated the project, and the Columbus County Board of Commissioners awarded a performance-based incentive grant to attract the company. The Columbus County Committee of 100 and the North Carolina Department of Commerce also provided assistance.