The Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority announced that in the effort to meet the capacity and growth needs, South Georgia Pecan Company, the Valdosta-based family-owned leading sheller and processor of shelled pecans in the United States, will expand its operations in Valdosta with the construction of a new 74,000-square-foot expansion onto its current processing facility located on U.S. Highway 84, totaling 350,000-square-foot facility adding 20 full-time jobs. The construction is planned to be finished by the end-of-August and represents a $5,600,000 investment by South Georgia Pecan. 

The new 74,000-square-foot facility will house raw materials. South Georgia Pecan has the ability to process about 55 million pounds annually and will increase that capacity to 70 million when it completes the expansion. South Georgia Pecan will also move 2,000,000 pounds of pecans to the new Valdosta facility from Lake City, Florida. 

“We have outgrown our current processing facility and feel blessed to have the opportunity to add this new production facility in Valdosta,” said South Georgia Pecan President Jim Worn. “South Georgia Pecan is proud to be a part of the economic success of Valdosta and Lowndes County. We are grateful for all the support that we have received by the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority.”

South Georgia Pecan moved into the current processing facility in 2005 which was previously the Levi Strauss & Co. jean plant several years ago and provides pecans for major food manufacturers such as Nestle and Russell Stover and also for supermarket chains like Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. and Publix Super Markets Inc. 

“Projects like this truly represent how Valdosta’s business environment enables company growth,” said VLCDA Chairman Tom Call. “Any investment into job creation in Valdosta and Lowndes County is important, because it adds to the economic vitality of our community. The Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority Board of Directors and staff look forward to similar successes in our community over the coming months and years.”