By: Cheryl Thurston
Construction is underway at D’Vine Foods in Elizabethtown, the grading is done, the padding has been laid and the crews are pouring concrete for the foundation. But the future requires a few changes to the plans Ron Taylor had for the land his family has held for years. Taylor envisioned an entrance to the facility that would have provided plenty of space for several tractor-trailer trucks to come and go each day, shipping his products, but the state of North Carolina has “required” part of his family’s property for the new 701 Overpass.
D’Vine Foods is a specialty cannery with 4 kitchens, each able to produce 100 cases of finished product per day, be it strawberry jam or Bar-B-Q sauce. The new facility will house 2 larger kitchens, each able to produce 500 cases per day of finished product. “We are at a capacity of about 400 cases per day right now,” said Taylor, ” But with the new facility, we would be able to produce about 1000 cases per day, in addition to what we are doing now.”
That’s a lot of canned food, enough to fill several trucks per day. That would be a real boost to the local economy. Consider the number of jobs that would be created, not just jobs at the cannery, but truck drivers, sales agents, oh, and yes, tax accountants. The commerce generated by Ron Taylor’s idea would increase the amount of tax money that is spent on the local level.
So, when will the construction be completed? “Sadly, right now I’m wondering if it will ever be finished,” Taylor lamented, “We lost a good piece of our land to the highway project. They have cut across the land my family has held for a long time. As it is now, we will have to move the trailer that houses Cindy’s Drive Thru restaurant because the 701 overpass will blend into the existing road right by the entrance to D’Vine Foods, cutting off the land where Cindy’s now sits.” The over pass will also cut off the part of Taylor’s land that would have made a safe and visible entrance into the cannery. The state claimed Eminent Domain, and offered a pittance for the property.
Be that as it may, construction continues at D’Vine Foods, but you don’t have to wait till they are finished if you have some canning that needs to be done now. All you farmers, gardeners, and horticulturists out there, grab your veggies and your granny’s recipe, and head on over to D’Vine Foods, where they will can your goods using your recipe and label, returning your product to you, ready to sell. D’Vine Foods is an FDA Approved cannery.
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