Staff Report
Published Oct. 12, 2012

Crescent Dairy & Beverages LLC announced Friday it will invest in a new ultra-pasteurized beverage processing facility in Colleton County.

The proposed investment is expected to exceed $30 million and the company anticipates generating 60 new jobs in the next five years.

“We are excited about moving forward with our plans of establishing operations in the eastern U.S. After close to one year of extensive research and exploration of the region, we are convinced that South Carolina and Colleton County will offer us a secure business environment that will guarantee solid progress which will contribute to our regional expansion,” said company representative Gabriel Pascual.

Pascual said the new location is ideal for serving not only eastern U.S. markets, but export markets as well, because the Port of Charleston provides ideal conditions to allow a constant flow of cargo to the region.

The new facilities will include state-of-the-art processing equipment that will implement ultra-high-temperature beverage processing. This type of processing allows beverages to have an extended shelf life without refrigeration until opened, and in many cases such a shelf life can exceed 12 months, the company said.

Initial production is expected to be mainly for export markets, with expectations of moving into U.S. markets gradually, company officials said.

“The agribusiness sector has long been an important part of South Carolina’s economy and announcements like Crescent Dairy & Beverages’ today show it continues to create new jobs. Every one of these jobs will create impact in Colleton County and this investment will help sustain agribusiness in the area,” said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt.

SelectUSA, the U.S. government initiative that promotes and facilitates business investment in the United States, partnered with the state of South Carolina to facilitate the firm’s decision to locate in the United States.

Hiring information will be available in early 2013.