Food Manufacturing
Ohio’s food value chain, coupled with a versatile infrastructure, abundant fresh water, low cost natural gas and competitive business climate, give companies the ability to obtain raw materials, produce goods, and deliver products to market with greater efficiency. Abundant transportation options traverse eastern and southern Ohio to move raw materials and finished goods to market. Four lane highways, multiple class 1 and short line railroads and Ohio River access is available across the region.
Ohio is home to the complete food value chain. This means high quality and freshness are guaranteed from Ohio’s farms to the consumer’s table.
Fast Facts
5th
largest interstate highway system in the nation
Access
Great Market Access by highway, rail and Ohio River barge
1,500+
food manufacturers call Ohio home
3rd
largest state measured by manufacturing output
5th
largest state measured by food manufacturing output
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Case Farms is very excited to help create more jobs within the great state of Ohio and are very appreciative of the support from the JobsOhio-OhioSE team and the governments and communities in Winesburg, Holmes County and other surrounding areas. Without them, this project would not have been possible.
Mike Popowycz / Vice Chairman & CFO, Case Farms
Leading Food Manufacturing Companies in the OhioSE Region
Food & Manufacturing Stats
Food manufacturing has a long, successful heritage in eastern and southern Ohio. The region boasts some of the largest food manufacturing facilities in the United States and has a concentration of food processing workforce 64% above the national average. Our regional workforce is well versed in manufacturing and food processing, and our operating costs are below national averages.
Download the Industry Spec Sheet120
Businesses
6,520
Industry workers
62%
More jobs in the Food Manufacturing Industry than the national average
783
Annual degrees completed in relevant industry fields
Key Regional Assets
Ohio has nine foreign trade zones and is the only state in the Midwest with direct shipping routes to Europe for both container and heavy goods. Our taxes, wage rates, and utility costs are below national and regional averages. Ohio taxes are some of the most favorable in the USA for manufacturing or any business selling goods and services outside of Ohio. In 2021, the Tax Foundation ranked Ohio 4th most favorable for capital-intensive manufacturers for mature firms and 3rd for capital-intensive manufacturing for new firms.
Why Ohio Southeast
Southeast Ohio is in close proximity to intermodal facilities in Columbus and local transload facilities
Rail service includes Norfolk Southern, CSX Transportation, local and regional railroads.
Southeast Ohio is connected through major US Interstate, four lane quality highways
355 miles of shoreline border our region with access to five major terminals on the Ohio River Inland Waterway
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