WS Chronicle

Foster Caviness, a fresh food warehousing and distribution company with a legacy in the Triad, is announcing a new location in Winston-Salem. It will occupy a 165,000 square foot facility on Lowery Street and generate 165 new jobs. An additional 140 employees will be retained from the company’s current location in Guilford County. The expansion will generate capital investment of about $6.25 million over five years.

Foster Caviness is a family-owned fresh produce provider that began in 1902 with a produce stand on a street corner in Guilford County. Today it is headquartered in Colfax and supports the agricultural community throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Following the recent acquisition of Greenville Produce, the company was seeking a new location to meet growth in demand. 

Scott Bland, CEO and owner of Foster Caviness, says “Thank you, Winston-Salem! We’re excited to deepen our roots in this wonderful community to build the most robust fresh food supply chain in the mid-Atlantic. At Foster, people are the heart of everything we do, and we believe connecting people to fresh, quality food is paramount. Everyone on our team sees food as more than sustenance – it’s what nourishes relationships, feeds traditions, and enriches everyday moments to create a better quality of life. Behind every product we offer, there’s a group of passionate individuals dedicated to furthering our mission to make fresh food more accessible for everyone. Our new Winston-Salem facility enhances our mission with advanced dry, refrigerated, and frozen storage solutions for over 50,000,000 packages per year, along with our new ripening solution, packaging, and fresh-cut capabilities for farmers.”

The facility in Winston-Salem is supported by Foster360 – a vertically integrated supply chain solution which ensures precise tracking, management, and handling of inventory, so orders reach customers at the right time, location, cost, and quality. Foster Freight transportation technology, Foster Freshcuts’ reliable fresh cut-to-order solutions, and FosterFoodservice dependable food delivery, will also enhance operations.

A total of 305 jobs will be generated as a result of this project with retained and new workers. The average wage is $55,452. Foster Caviness will also invest in property updates to add 6 ripening rooms, expand the cold storage capacity in the facility, and make other improvements. 

Foster Caviness worked with Greater Winston-Salem Inc. to facilitate the location project, with help from the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC). It is also seeking incentives from the City of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. 

“We are excited to work with Foster Caviness to help them find the ideal place to help their company grow in the Carolina Core,” says Mark Owens, president and CEO of Greater Winston-Salem Inc. “Forsyth County offers a lot of opportunity and access for distribution and logistics operations, and this is one of our key industry sectors for economic growth. This project exemplifies our location’s advantages in the sector, including prime facilities, ease of transportation, and a strong talent pipeline.” 

“I am honored to welcome Foster Caviness as a new employer in Winston-Salem,” says Mayor Allen Joines. “We are proud to support their growth with a prime facility ideal for supply chain operations. New employment opportunities will benefit our local citizens.” 

“Foster Caviness joins many thriving industrial and logistics operations here in Forsyth County,” says Don Martin, chair of the Forsyth County Commissioners. “Our growth in these industries brings new investments and creates job growth to benefit our entire community.” 

Foster Caviness expects to begin construction of its new ripening rooms in December, with the new facility fully online in March 2025.