US Military Combat Rations Supplier Building New $85M Plant

Food products manufacturing and packaging firm SO-PAK-CO is preparing to construct a new $85 million facility in Laurinburg, NC to increase its production capacity for shelf-stable, ready-to-eat meals, Gov. Roy Cooper announced this week. The company is a major supplier of combat rations to the US military.

“With the new Laurinburg facility, in addition to our South Carolina campuses, we will be better able to serve our existing customers while also expanding our capacity to position ourselves for growth,” the firm’s president, Lonnie F. Thompson, said in a release. “SO-PAK-CO is appreciative of the support we have already received from state and local partners, and look forward to making a positive impact on these economies through this project.”

The project will create 440 new jobs, including roles in operators, management, and administration. North Carolina’s Economic Investment Committee approved a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) of $4.6 million over a 12-year term if SO-PAK-CO hits certain job creation and investment targets.

In addition to the military, SO-PAK-CO’s products are used by federal, state, and local agencies. The company also supplies commercial retail customers.