E. & J. Gallo Winery, a global wine and spirits company, will invest $423 million to build a new state-of-the-art production facility and distribution center in Chester County, South Carolina. The project is expected to create 496 new jobs over the next eight years.

Providing bottling and canning capacity as well as warehousing and distribution for the company’s growing portfolio of wine and spirit brands, the new South Carolina facility will allow Gallo to better meet customer demand on the East Coast, while reducing its overall carbon footprint. Given Chester County’s proximity to the Port of Charleston, this new location will also serve as a hub for Gallo’s import and export business. Construction on the new facility is set to begin almost immediately, with the first phase of the project on track to be completed in October of 2022.

“We could not be more appreciative of the collaboration and support shown by the state of South Carolina, the South Carolina Department of Commerce, and those in Chester County along with all of the public and private entities who have embraced this project throughout the planning process and have welcomed us to the community,” said Gallo CEO, Ernest J. Gallo.

Gallo is working closely with readySC to prepare for hiring and various workforce training needs. In addition, the Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits related to this project. A $16 million Rural Infrastructure Fund grant was also awarded to Chester County to assist with costs of the project.

“We often say economic development is a team sport in S.C., and this project demonstrates the true collaboration on the local and state levels and beyond. Gallo’s $423 million investment and the 496 new jobs in Chester County will transform the region. We take pride in our state’s business-friendly environment, and we welcome Gallo to our roster of world-class companies within our borders,” said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt.

Last month, the S.C. Department of Commerce went before the Joint Bond Review Committee and the State Fiscal Accountability Authority and received authorization for $8 million in bonds to offset costs of off-site mitigation under the Economic Development Bond Act.

“The proposition of the I-77 region as an ideal location for corporate investment is truly validated when E. & J. Gallo, the nation’s largest winemaker, selects it for their East Coast operations hub. Distribution will be a priority component of this expansion and fortunately the I-77 region is within a single day’s truck drive of 42% of the U.S. market, including five of the 10 fastest-growing U.S. metro areas. This location, coupled with the region’s tremendous transportation infrastructure and South Carolina’s pro-business climate, creates a truly compelling opportunity for a company’s sustainable growth,” I-77 Alliance Interim President and CEO Christopher Finn explained.