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Gov. Ralph Northam announced today that StarKist Co., a food company that provides trusted, healthy, shelf-stable seafood and chicken in the United States, will invest $3.6 million to relocate its corporate and administrative headquarters operations from Pittsburgh to Fairfax County. Virginia successfully competed with Maryland for the project, which will create 83 new jobs.

The company will occupy almost 24,000 square feet at 1875 Explorer Street in Reston.

“At StarKist we are committed to growing our business in Virginia,” said Andrew Choe, president and CEO, StarKist Co. “We expect to have more than 80 employees working from our new Reston headquarters starting in April 2022, and look forward to becoming active members of the Fairfax County business community.”

“We would like to thank Governor Northam and the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority for their ongoing support throughout this process,” Choe said. “I believe the move to Virginia will provide an outstanding work environment for our employees, as well as an opportunity to expand the StarKist business in the years ahead.”

An industry innovator, StarKist Co. was the first brand to introduce single-serve pouch products, which include Tuna Creations®, Salmon Creations®, and Chicken Creations®. StarKist represents a tradition of quality, consumer trust, and a commitment to sustainability. StarKist’s charismatic brand icon, Charlie® the Tuna, swam into the hearts of tuna fans in 1961 and is still a fan favorite today. StarKist Co. is a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Dongwon Industries Co., Ltd.

“I am so pleased to thank StarKist for choosing Fairfax County for its new headquarters,” said Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. “This is a testament to the growing attractiveness of Northern Virginia to a wide variety of industry sectors and companies that know we have the assets and talent base to succeed here.”

In thanking StarKist for its investment in Fairfax County, Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey C. McKay cited the longtime, consistent effort to make the county attractive to businesses of all kinds.

“I want to thank and congratulate StarKist for choosing to base its operations in Fairfax County,” said Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey C. McKay. “The county has invested heavily to make this a great place to locate a business, to work, and to live, and I am delighted that StarKist will be able to join the Fairfax County business community and take advantage of what we offer.”

The FCEDA worked with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership to secure the project for Virginia and will support StarKist job creation through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP), which provides consultative services and funding to companies creating new jobs in order to support employee recruitment and training activities. As a business incentive supporting economic development, state-funded VJIP reduces the human resource costs of new and expanding companies.

“Virginia is home to a diverse ecosystem of more than 800 corporate headquarters representing a broad cross section of industries,” Northam said. “We are thrilled to welcome StarKist Co. to Fairfax County, which consistently attracts top talent and is well connected to key customer markets and major metro areas throughout the United States and beyond. The Commonwealth looks forward to a long and fruitful partnership with this popular American household brand.”

StarKist is a national sponsor of Feed the Children, a leading nonprofit focused on alleviating childhood hunger. Throughout the past 12 years, StarKist has contributed nearly 500,000 pounds of tuna and chicken products to help food-insecure children and families across the U.S., and more than $700,000 to support Feed the Children’s feeding outreach, as well as disaster and emergency response efforts.

The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority promotes Fairfax County as a business and technology center. The FCEDA offers site location and business development assistance, and connections with county and state government agencies, to help companies locate and expand in Fairfax County. In addition to its headquarters in Tysons, Fairfax County’s largest business district, the FCEDA maintains business investment offices in six important global business centers: Bangalore/Mumbai, Berlin, London, Los Angeles, Seoul and Tel Aviv. Follow the FCEDA on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

The FCEDA is a member of the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance, which promotes and markets Northern Virginia outside the region and conducts activities and events to build the regional business community. Other members of NOVA EDA are the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, Arlington County, City of Fairfax, City of Falls Church, Fauquier County, Loudoun County, City of Manassas, City of Manassas Park and the Prince William County Department of Economic Development.

June 10, 2021

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