Popular rice maker to set up shop in Johnston County bringing $35.7M investment

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The office of North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced a popular microwavable rice maker will bring production to Johnston County. The move is expected to bring hundreds of jobs.

Veetee Foods, Inc. will establish a major production plant investing $35.7 million in Selma. Founded in 1986 with operations in India and the U.K., the company gained early success in the production of rice products, such as dry rice and ready-to-heat rice, and has since expanded into a wide range of ambient convenience foods.

“It’s great to see another international company like Veetee Foods decide that North Carolina is the perfect place to expand their presence in the United States,” said Governor Cooper.  “Our state’s talented workforce and worker training systems, along with our infrastructure and transportation networks give companies the confidence they seek in a world-class business location like Johnston County.”

Veetee employs about 1,000 people worldwide but its operations in the United States have been relatively small until Monday’s announcement.

The Selma plant will be used for cooking rice, pasta, noodles, spaghetti and a variety of other foods, using many domestically sourced ingredients and employing technology developed over 20 years in its U.K. factory.

“We are delighted to see our ambitious expansion vision reach the USA, and we see Johnston County as our perfect partner,” said Moni and Rajiv Varma, the company’s Chairman and Managing Director, respectively. “We are humbled by this opportunity and are equally excited to unleash a wide range of delicious meals that families across the country will no doubt enjoy!”

The North Carolina Department of Commerce led the state’s support for the company during its site evaluation and decision-making process.

The new jobs are expected to bring an annual payroll impact to the community of nearly $12 million per year.

The company will benefit from setting up shop in North Carolina. If the company meets expected economic impacts, it could receive up to $996,750 in the form of state grants.

The project’s projected return on investment of public dollars is 90 percent, meaning for every dollar of potential cost, the state receives $1.90 in state revenue.

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