North Carolina is home to an incredibly diverse array of agricultural products, from the well-known (tobacco) to the increasingly popular (sweet potato). That diversity has led to an economic impact from agribusiness of around $76 billion each year but it’s not just giant companies contributing to that number.
Here are just a couple of the North Carolina companies taking advantage of the global economy. (From North Carolina Agriculture magazine)
Miss Jenny’s Pickles: Named N.C. Exporter of the Year in 2015, Miss Jenny’s Pickles grew from a home-kitchen-based business to an internationally-recognized company. They export their product to countries across the globe, including China, Canada, and Mongolia. Co-owner Jenny Fulton says “My main incentive for exporting is that 95% of the world lives outside the U.S. I want to share our North Carolina goodness in a jar of Miss Jenny’s Pickles around the world.”
Bone Suckin’ Sauce: Barbecue is important in North Carolina so it’s not a surprise to see barbecue sauce on the list. You may be surprised by how many countries Ford Gourmet Foods, maker of Bone Suckin’ Sauce, ships their product to. Countries like Denmark, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom bring the total to more than 70 countries that receive shipments of the western North Carolina style sauce. Those international exports now account for more than 15-20% of their sales. “Good food is a universal language, and North Carolina has some of the best,” says Sandi Ford, president of Ford’s Gourmet Food
Read the full story of these two companies: http://www.farmflavor.com/north-carolina/north-carolina-agribusiness/sharing-north-carolina-with-the-world-2/
Learn more about North Carolina’s global economic development from the NC Global Engagement Snapshot: https://goglobalnc.org/global-engagement/snapshot/global-economic-development/
