News

TVA helps recruit Sysco to Knoxville

Sysco Corporation has announced plans to construct a $34.2 million, 300,000-square-foot food distribution facility in Knoxville, Tennessee.

TVA’s Economic Development staff worked with the city of Knoxville, the state of Tennessee, the Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership, and others on Sysco’s site-selection process.

The Sysco facility will employ about 300 people, with wages and benefits per employee averaging $56,000 annually. It will be located at the I-275 Business Park between downtown Knoxville and the intersection of I-275 and I-640.

The facility will serve restaurants, hospitals, schools, colleges, retirement homes, hotels, and other food-service operations in east Tennessee and portions of Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.

“We congratulate Sysco and wish the company every success as it pursues growth opportunities at this major new Knoxville facility location,” TVA’s John Bradley, Senior Vice President of Economic Development, said at the March 2 announcement of the new facility. “This is a win-win for the company and the community and is the result of a team effort coordinated by several economic development entities.”

Also on hand for the announcement were several other representatives from TVA along with Sysco officials, Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, and other state and local economic development partners. Mayor Haslam specifically recognized and thanked TVA for its role in the project.

Sysco expects the new facility to be operational by 2008. The company is a global leader in selling, marketing, and distributing food products, with annual revenues in excess of $31 billion.