Cabarrus Today

Custom Flavors, a company based in California specializing in the development and manufacturing of liquid and powdered flavor solutions, is set to invest $7.75 million in a new production facility on the East Coast. This new venture in Concord will create 42 jobs with an average salary exceeding $58,000.

Established in 2005, Custom Flavors is a family-run business known for its expertise in delivering organic, natural, and artificial flavors across various industries including bakery, beverage, and sports nutrition products. The new facility aims to boost innovation and production capacity while reducing lead times and freight costs for customers along the East Coast.

Alex Wendling, President of Custom Flavors, expressed enthusiasm about the expansion: “We’re thrilled to be expanding our operations to North Carolina and becoming part of the wonderful Concord community.” He highlighted that North Carolina's favorable business environment made it an ideal location for this expansion.

Concord's Mayor Bill Dusch welcomed the investment: “It’s a pleasure to welcome Custom Flavors to Concord as they expand the food science and manufacturing industry in our region." He noted that Concord has a long-standing tradition of producing quality food and beverage products.

The investment will be directed towards establishing a 53,000 square foot facility on West Winds Boulevard. This site previously housed S&D Coffee and includes an additional building for future expansion. Jobs created will include roles such as food scientists, production operators, and quality control engineers.

Brian Hiatt from Cabarrus EDC emphasized the economic benefits: “Custom Flavors will bring good paying jobs and capital investment generating property taxes that will pay for schools, parks and public safety officers for decades to come."

Custom Flavors supports many leading brands found at retailers like Walmart and Kroger with its portfolio of over 20,000 unique flavors. The new location also offers access to the NC Food Innovation Lab for collaboration with local brands.

Officials from Concord are set to discuss local incentives on January 9, 2025. Proposed property tax grants are contingent upon meeting performance goals. The Cabarrus EDC collaborated with several organizations including the City of Concord and North Carolina State University to facilitate this move.