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Avail Vapor Locating Headquarters in Chesterfield County, VA

International headquarters and production facility will be in North Chesterfield, Virginia.

Avail1NORTH CHESTERFIELD, VIRGINIA – May 22, 2014 – Avail Vapor, LLC, a Richmond-based company that is an industry leader in the rapidly expanding vapor and e-juice industry, has purchased a 37,515 square foot facility in Chesterfield County. It is located on four acres in the Southport Office Park and the building combines multiple office spaces as well an expansive production space. The projected capital investment will be $5 million with 60 employees.

James Xu, founding partner of Avail Vapor, says “We are excited to begin the renovation for our new Avail headquarters immediately. We will be converting this space in the coming weeks to house a new, state of the art, pharma-white room laboratory, and a production facility for the exclusive production of Avail Premium E Juice. This new facility and custom line will produce 8,000 bottles an hour while maintaining the quality, purity, consistency and flavor that Avail has come to stand for.” The new facility also will house the distribution facility for all Avail stores as well as the executive and support staff for Avail corporate stores located currently in Virginia and Maryland.

Avail currently operates in nine locations and has 11 more under construction or lease in the Mid-Atlantic. Mr. Xu adds, “This location also will serve as a training facility for Avail associates and franchise services in the future.” He added that this location will house a new Avail retail store adjacent to the lab that will enable customers to view the juice production through glass walls.

“We are very pleased that Avail Vapor chose Chesterfield County,” said County Administrator Jay Stegmaier. “It’s rewarding to see entrepreneurship flourish and the conversion of this facility into a unique headquarters and production facility is a testament to our strong business climate.”

Mr. Xu also noted that the assistance and support of the Chesterfield Department of Economic Development and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership was instrumental in Avail’s search for its new headquarters.

Contacts:
Avail: Susan Keeton, susank@availvapor.com
CED: Garrett Hart, ghart@chesterfieldbusiness.com

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Wegmans Food Markets Coming to Midlothian

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Wegmans Food Markets to be Anchor Tenant for the Stonehenge Village Development in Midlothian

Marchetti Properties, LLC announced Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. will be the anchor tenant for Stonehenge Village, an entitled retail project located on the eastern edge of the Village of Midlothian in the 12500 block of Midlothian Turnpike.

“We have long-viewed Wegmans as the ideal anchor for Stonehenge Village”, said Bobby Marchetti, one of the principals of Marchetti Properties. “Wegmans epitomizes the highest of quality in everything the company does—from the architecture of their stores to the way they treat their customers and their employees—and we could not be more pleased that Wegmans chose to develop at Stonehenge Village.”

Wegmans-Rendered-Elevations

The Midlothian Wegmans will have a design similar to this one built in northern Virginia last year.

 

“We are delighted to announce our plans to open a store in Stonehenge Village, and excited to finally be able to respond to the many requests we’ve had to come to the Richmond area,” says Ralphs Uttaro, Wegmans senior vice president of real estate. “I know that we will bring a unique shopping experience to the market that delivers on our promise of incredible customer service, the best ingredients, restaurant-quality prepared foods, and consistent low prices.”

Stonehenge Village is a master-planned retail development that will contain approximately 230,000 square feet of retail uses, including a grocery store, restaurants and other shops. The project is located in a well-established retail corridor and is centrally located to serve the Midlothian community and the broader, highly suburbanized northwest portion of Chesterfield County.

“We have always envisioned Stonehenge Village as a high quality development that will complement the Midlothian Village and surrounding area. With Wegmans and the other interested retailers with whom we have had active discussions, our vision is becoming a reality,” said Marchetti.

County leaders are applauding the attraction of another highly-respected retail name to Chesterfield.

“We are very happy that Wegmans is coming to Chesterfield County. Wegmans will provide an exciting and unique grocery and dining experience. In addition to the experience, Wegmans brings a strong commitment to its customers, community and employees,” said Jay Stegmaier, Chesterfield County Administrator

“We are very pleased that Wegmans will be the latest addition to the Midlothian corridor’s upscale retail offerings. As one of the “100 best companies to work for” we are excited about the jobs this will create for our citizens,” said Jim Holland, Chairman, Chesterfield Board of Supervisors.

Welcome-to-Wegmans-Video

Welcome to Wegmans Video

 

About Wegmans Food Markets

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is an 83-store supermarket chain with stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts. The family-owned company, founded in 1916, is recognized as an industry leader and innovator. Wegmans has been named one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” by FORTUNE magazine for 17 consecutive years. In 2014, Wegmans ranked #12 on the list.

About Marchetti Properties

Marchetti Properties is a family-owned retail center developer and owner in the Greater Richmond area.

2013 First Choice Business Award Winners Announced

First Choice Business Award

In partnership with the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce and the Chesterfield Business Council, Chesterfield County honors local companies annually that contribute to the county’s economy and its residents through the First Choice Business Awards. The Board of Supervisors will formally recognize all winners at their August 28, 2013 meeting.

The following are the 2013 First Choice Business Award Winners: Environmental Stewardship Award – B&D Chimney Services, Community Impact Award – Haley Buick GMC, Innovation Impact Award – Networking Technologies and Support, Building Healthy Communities Award – HCA Virginia Workplace Wellness, Small Business Excellence Award – Commonwealth Photography, and the 2013 First Choice Business of the Year was awarded to Holiday Inn Koger Conference Center. This award is designed to recognize a Chesterfield County business, which has been a leader in terms of overall impact to the County.

The winners were chosen by a selection committee, which consists of business leaders and other business owners for their community and business knowledge. The intent is to give recognition to businesses that consistently contribute to the local economy through employment, community service, or create and deliver products or services that are innovative to its customers. Other criteria include that a business is a leader in valuing its employees, and upholds the principles and standards of ethical business practices.

“The success and growth of our existing businesses is vital to our economy, and we are proud to recognize their contributions to the county,” said Dorothy Jaeckle, Chair of the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors.

For more information on this year’s Celebrate Chesterfield Business! contact Tina Shreve at (804) 318-8550, or email at ShreveT@chesterfield.gov

Stonebridge Retail Space Now Available

Retail space in Phase 1 of Stonebridge is now available. The beautifully designed development already includes a brand new 123,000 square foot Kroger Marketplace store. That store is the largest in Virginia.

Stonebridge Retail Space 5-28-2013-013

Four completed buildings offer available space ranging from 1,200 to 4,400 square feet. New tenants already committed to Stonebridge include the following: Qdoba Mexican Grill, SweetFrog Premium Yogurt, Sleepys The Mattress Professionals, Great Clips for Hair, Subway restaurant, Lee Nails and Virginia ABC store.

Stonebridge-Retail-Space-Phase-One-680

Additional information can be downloaded here.

Stonebridge-5-28-2013-015

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Amazon Making Investments at Its Chesterfield Center

The Richmond-Times Dispatch is reporting Amazon is making new investments at its Chesterfield Fulfillment Center.

Online retailer Amazon.com is completing work this year at its Chesterfield County distribution center that will increase the plant’s inventory capacity, a regional director for the company said Tuesday.

The Seattle-based retailer, which opened two large distribution sites in the Richmond area in the fall, also is moving some of the part-time employees it hired during the holiday season into full-time work, said Tim Coates, regional director for Amazon’s fulfillment services.

By summer, “we will have doubled our ability to put inventory in” at the Chesterfield site, Coates told members of the Richmond Association for Business Economics. “We are also putting in more equipment. A lot of investments are happening in that building in Chesterfield.”

The work now occurring at the site includes adding equipment such as an inventory management system that was part of the original plan for the site but was not completed before the holiday shopping season rush, Coates said.

Amazon completed most of the work on the centers in Chesterfield and Dinwiddie counties last year, and the first products were shipped to customers by October.

Each centers is 1 million square feet — or each nearly as big as Short Pump Town Center — but they handle different types of products.

The Chesterfield warehouse ships high volumes of small items such as books and DVDs, Coates said, while the Dinwiddie facility handles larger items such as golf bags, stereos and kayaks.

The two centers employ more than 2,000 people, a spokeswoman said.

Amazon has been expanding its network of fulfillment centers nationwide to get products to its customers “as quickly as possible at the lowest possible price,” said Coates, who also manages Amazon’s Indianapolis fulfillment centers.

“We’re in the Richmond area because it is the best place to be for our customers,” said Coates, whose talk drew a sold-out crowd of 65 for the association’s monthly meeting at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Richmond Times-Dispatch – March 6, 2013

jblackwell@timesdispatch.com (804) 775-8123
(c)2013 the Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, Va.)
Visit the Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, Va.) at www.timesdispatch.com

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Sabra Expanding And Opening R&D Facility In Chesterfield County

Sabra Dipping Company Will Open A Global “Center Of Excellence” And R&D Facility In Chesterfield County

Sabra Will Also Expand Existing Virginia Manufacturing Facility To Significantly Increase Capacity

Sabra Dipping Company announced two major initiatives to further its growth and leadership in the dips and spreads category today. The company will construct a “Center of Excellence” research and development facility in Virginia to establish best practices on all aspects of culinary, food science, production, engineering, packaging, supply chain and product delivery. The Center of Excellence will also lead groundbreaking agricultural initiatives with local universities, including research on chickpeas, fruits and vegetables, to increase the use of local resources. The facility will feature a state of the art culinary center, ideation space, a pilot plant, offices, and research centers. Sabra also announced an expansion of its existing production facility in Virginia. These and associated investments will total $28 million dollars and create an estimated 90 new jobs over the next few years.

Construction on the 20,000 square-foot Center of Excellence will begin in the second quarter of 2012. The facility will be set on the same campus as the Company’s Silver LEED certified food manufacturing plant, which produces Sabra dips and spreads including the country’s best-selling hummus. Sabra is located on 49 acres in the Ruffin Mill Industrial Park in Chesterfield County, VA.

“The Sabra Center of Excellence will be home to experts in all areas of food technology, agriculture, nutrition, manufacturing and distribution and is the next important step in the outstanding growth of our company,” said Ronen Zohar CEO of Sabra. “The fact that we are building it in Virginia is a testament to our belief in the people, the community and the resources available here. This research and development center will push the envelope and enable us continue to expand and define the possibilities in the dips and spreads category in terms of innovation, taste, health and beyond.”

Sabra also announced that the company would immediately begin a significant expansion of its hummus production capacity. The expansion will enable the addition of two new lines, a packaging automation system, water waste systems and related plant improvements. The factory expansion will increase the Chesterfield plant’s production capacity by 50 percent and is in response to the continued increased demand for Sabra hummus.

Dan Gecker, chairman of the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors said, “Chesterfield is proud to have Sabra Dipping Company as one of our leading corporate citizens. This increased investment and growth will result in new and exciting high quality products and, most especially, jobs. Thank you Sabra for your confidence in and commitment to Chesterfield County.”

“We thank Sabra for their continuing investment. The food industry is one of our economic development targets and this high profile announcement further solidifies Chesterfield’s presence in the market. It is satisfying to see that, even in these tight economic times, manufacturing continues to grow in Chesterfield County,” said County Administrator Jay Stegmaier.

Sabra is known for its lines of authentic, flavorful and healthy dips and spreads. Sabra currently holds 56% of the hummus category in the US, as hummus gains popularity as a versatile dip and spread.

Sabra Dipping Company, LLC is a leader in the refrigerated dips and spreads category and producer of America’s top-selling hummus. Sabra’s award-winning hummus, available in more than a dozen flavors and a wide range of authentic, healthy and vegetable based dips and spreads can be found nationwide in club stores, supermarkets, specialty retailers and through food service. Sabra operates a Silver LEED certified factory in Virginia, and in 2011 received an A-Classification from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) audit board for food safety for its California plant. Visit Sabra at www.sabra.com, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/sabra and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sabra.

Sabra Dipping Company was formed as a U.S./Canadian joint venture between Strauss Group and PepsiCo. The Sabra joint venture draws on both Frito-Lay, a division of PepsiCo, and Strauss Group’s expertise to continue building this growing business.

About Strauss Group
Strauss Group (TASE: STRS), Israel’s second-largest food & beverage company, is an international corporation which comprised of five core business units: Strauss Israel (the second largest food and beverage company in Israel), Strauss Coffee, Strauss Water, Strauss-PepsiCo fresh dips and spreads, and chocolate chain Max Brenner.

Strauss Group has established strategic partnerships with leading multinationals companies including: PepsiCo and Frito-Lay, Danone, Haier, Virgin and TPG Capital.
The company operates in 18 countries and employs 14,000 people globally. In 2011, had a net revenue of $2.2 billion in turnover with 48.8% generated by international activities. For more information, please visit www.strauss-group.com.

Frito-Lay North America is the $13 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo, which is headquartered in Purchase, N.Y. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate Web site, http://www.fritolay.com/, the Snack Chat blog, http://www.snacks.com/ and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/fritolay.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader with net revenues of more than $65 billion and a product portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales. Our main businesses – Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola – make hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world. PepsiCo’s people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo’s promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

In addition to Chesterfield County Economic Development; the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Virginia Jobs Investment Program and the Greater Richmond Partnership will assist Sabra with the expansion process. Governor McDonnell approved a $250,000 grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to assist Chesterfield County with the project.

Contact: Ilya Welfeld, Public Relations, Sabra Dipping Company (201) 439-1010
Will Davis, Director, Chesterfield Economic Development (804) 318-8550

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Into the Water – Teaching swimmers at the Richmond Aquatics Partnership

Into the Water- Teaching swimmers at the Richmond Aquatics Partnership from humanstory on Vimeo.

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Collegiate School Aquatics Center Opens to Public

Splashdown!

Grand Opening Celebration Marks Arrival of World-Class Aquatics Facility in Chesterfield County Virginia

Over four years ago, a group of local residents had a dream to bring world-class swimming and increased water safety to the greater Richmond area and today, that dream became a reality with the official opening of the Greater Richmond Aquatics Partnership’s state-of-the-art facility, the Collegiate School Aquatics Center, with the expectation to host an estimated 400,000+ number of visitors annually.

The Greater Richmond Aquatics Partnership (GRAP) is the unprecedented collaboration of five long-standing and impactful area organizations that include Collegiate School, Poseidon Swimming, Trinity Episcopal School, Richmond Kickers and the Sports Backers.

“Dozens of community leaders, parents and area residents have collaboratively worked together to elevate swimming as a life-long, participatory sport in Richmond and I am pleased to be associated with the many men and women who have worked tirelessly to bring this facility to our community,” said Bobby Ukrop, President of the Greater Richmond Aquatics Partnership. “All of us who worked on this endeavor know the possibilities that it brings to our area – especially serving the needs of the thousands of area children who do not have access to swim lessons and water safety programs.”

Photo By SportsBackers

Located in Ukrop Park in northern Chesterfield County, the 54,000+ square foot facility boasts three pools including the 50 meter, eight lane Myrtha Pool from the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, a therapy pool with two underwater treadmills and diagnostic video equipment, and a 25-yard, warm water pool for lessons. An expansive 7,000 square foot mezzanine grandstand can hold up to 700 spectators. The fully accessible facility boasts a community room, ample parking and locker facilities. In the future, a 5,000 square foot space is planned for physical therapy and rehabilitation services.

“We are so fortunate to have such a well-constructed center with state-of-the-art equipment, but the heart of the facility is the community-wide focus on water safety, health and fitness, sports tourism and competitive swimming,” said Adam Kennedy, Executive Director, Greater Richmond Aquatics Partnership. “The Collegiate School Aquatics Center is open to area residents of all ages and will primarily be available for community use with less than 20% of the pool being used for competitive swimming.”

Among the attendees to the ceremony will be a former Virginia resident very familiar with the Myrtha Pool at the new Collegiate School Aquatics Center, Katie Hoff. The former Olympian, who competed in the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympic Games, swam in the pool at the 2008 Olympic Trials in Omaha before earning bronze medals in Beijing. A world record holder, Hoff now resides and trains in Florida.

The Aquatics Center will provide an economic boost to the region with 40 new jobs now and additional ones once the physical therapy facility opens. With the ability to host significant swim competitions; all sanctioned by Virginia and USA Swimming, GRAP anticipates the facility will bring over $2 million to the area annually through sports tourism. It is estimated that the Collegiate School Aquatics Center cost over $14 million to build and will host its first competitive meet on April 20 with Poseidon’s Fresh Start Invitational. To learn more about the water safety and swim instruction programs available to community, please contact Adam Kennedy at 804-334-7669.