June 20, 2018
Diana Food makes Banks County, Georgia, its North America home
Low-interest loans help finance economic development project.
According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), for the past five years Georgia has been ranked the number one state for business in the nation. Companies conducting business in Georgia have access to global markets through the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, the busiest airport in the world, and the Port of Savannah, which is the fourth-largest and fastest growing container seaport in North America. This has attracted many companies nationally and globally to locate in our state.
One of these companies is Diana Food, global provider of natural ingredients to the food and beverage industry. They carefully select fruits, vegetables, raw materials, and meat and seafood to offer clean ingredients with a guarantee of product quality, traceability, and food safety. The company felt they needed to expand their brand and open up a new manufacturing plant and research and development facility in North America. After two years of looking at 25 communities in North America, Diana Food felt their next home would thrive in Banks County, Georgia.
“Diana Food’s decision to establish a presence in Banks County is a testament to Georgia’s top-ranked business climate,” said Gov. Nathan Deal. “Georgia offers the transportation network required for growing companies and a workforce second to none. I am confident this strategic Banks County location will provide significant benefits for Diana Food as the company continues its growth in the southeast.”
The 90,000 square-foot facility located in the Banks Crossing Business Park will be predominantly dedicated to meat processing, and will include office, manufacturing, and warehouse space on nearly 40 acres. This facility will provide more than 80 jobs for the community.
The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) provided two Georgia Fund loans totaling $7,480,000 to help the city of Commerce extend water and sewer infrastructure to the Banks Crossing Business Park. These loans are financing the construction of a pretreatment facility that will pretreat the waste stream from Diana Foods prior to entering the city’s sewer collection system and the installation of gravity sewers, force mains, lift stations, and water mains.
Having Diana Food in Banks County will provide many opportunities for the county, city of Commerce, and the state of Georgia. “This is a huge win for Banks County and an incredible example of the important role Georgia’s existing manufacturing industry plays in attracting new businesses to our state,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson.
For more information on GEFA's energy, land, and water programs, visit gefa.georgia.gov.