Food & Beverage
East Tennessee Offers a Recipe for Success in Food Processing
A robust water infrastructure, reliable electricity, a supportive state government, and an advanced transportation and logistics network make the Knoxville region an exceptional location for the for the food processing/packaging industry.
Situated at the juncture of I-40, I-75, and I-81, the region’s geographic location provides easy access to raw materials the ability to quickly transport products to market.
15-County Region Advantages
- Excellent geographic location at juncture of 1-40, I-75 and I-81 for easy access to raw material and transportation of product to market
- Located within one-day’s drive of 70% of US market
- Abundant supply of municipal water
- Excess capacity in water and sewer systems
- Electrical power generated by TVA providing customers 99.99% reliability since 2000
- 1500+ miles of natural gas pipeline capable of delivering 1.86 Bcf/d of gas per day
- Rail service by Norfolk Southern and CSX
- Barge service on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway System
- Strong automated machinery and metal working sectors for manufacturing of food processing equipment
- Growing and trainable workforce
- Very favorable business climate
Food Processing Companies
|
Company |
Location |
Employees |
Product |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keurig Green Mountain | Knox | 500 – 999 | Coffee Roasting, packaging & wholesaling |
| Monterey Mushrooms | Loudon | 500 – 999 | Commercial mushrooms |
| Ole Smoky Distillery | Sevier | 500 – 999 | Tennessee moonshine |
| Bush Brothers & Co. | Jefferson | 500 – 999 | Manufactures dried and dehydrated fruits and vegetables & soup mixes |
| Custom Food Division, Processed Foods Corp. | Knox | 250 – 499 | Manufacturer of frozen soups, sauces, side dishes |
| Coca-Cola Bottling Co. | Knox | 250 – 499 | Manufactures and distributes Coca-Cola products |
| Pepsi Beverages Co | Knox | 250 – 499 | Soft drinks, water, juice, teas, energy drinks, Gatorade, Muscle Milk |
| Flowers Foods | Knox | 250 – 499 | Breads, rolls, snack cakes |
| Viskase Corp | Loudon | 250 – 499 | Cellulose casings |
| Primient | Loudon | 250 – 499 | Corn syrup & flavoring extracts |
| Reily Foods Co. (JFG) | Knox | 100 – 249 | Coffee roasting, manufacturers peanut butter & mayonnaise |
| Family Brands | Loudon | 100 -249 | Meat packing plant |
| Wamplers Farm Sausage Co. | Loudon | 100 – 249 | Manufactures sausage |
| Crockett Creek LLC | Knox | 50 – 99 | Manufactures dried beef |
| Swaggerty Sausage Co. Inc. | Sevier | 50 – 9 | Manufactures sausage; meat processing |
| Tennessee Cheddars, Sweetwater Valley Farm | Loudon | 20 – 49 | Cheese manufacturing |
| Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams | Monroe | 20 – 49 | Dry cured country ham, bacon & prosciutto |
| English Mountain Spring Water Company | Jefferson | 20 – 49 | Bottles spring water for drinking |
Source: Book of Lists; Local County websites, Database USA 2025
