MOORESVILLE — A candy and healthcare products company based in Mooresville plans to create 37 new jobs and invest $6.4 million in the next three years.
Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that BestSweet, a manufacturer of both consumer healthcare and confectionery products, will expand in Iredell County. The project was made possible in part by a $50,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.
“BestSweet is investing in North Carolina, because they know North Carolina has invested in its people,” Perdue said in a press release. “The company’s growing commitment to Iredell County and North Carolina is a testament to our knowledgeable, skilled workforce and strong business climate that were built through our investments in education.”
BestSweet Inc. manufactures both consumer healthcare and confectionery products across a mix of contract, private label and branded platforms. During the past 18 months, the company has invested $14 million in its Mooresville operation, adding a 40,000 square feet in manufacturing space and a 140,000 sq. ft. warehouse and distribution facility, while adding 70 new jobs.
BestSweet employs 272 full-time people in Iredell County and has acquired a competitor in the Northeast. This project will allow the company to bring those production capabilities to North Carolina.
Salaries will vary by job function, but the average annual wage for the new jobs will be $39,215 plus benefits. The Iredell County average annual wage is $36,348.
“Mooresville and North Carolina has facilitated many of the opportunities for BestSweet and afforded the company the ability to attract talent at all levels because it is a both a great area to live in, work in, and provides a positive business environment,” said Richard Zulman, CEO of BestSweet.
The One NC Fund provides financial assistance, through local governments, to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state. Companies receive no money up front and must meet job creation and investment performance standards to qualify for grant funds.
These grants also require and are contingent upon local matches. Other partners that helped with this project include the N.C. Department of Commerce, the Town of Mooresville and Iredell County.
For more information about BestSweet, including job opportunities, go to www.bestsweet.com.