Key Industries
Core Sectors
Food & Beverage Manufacturing
Central to the Shenandoah Valley’s manufacturing sector is Food & Beverage manufacturing. Some of the top national brands, like Little Debbie and Bonne Maman, are being produced in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities throughout the Shenandoah Valley.
The Shenandoah Valley is home to 4 of the the top 10 U.S. Based Food & Beverage Companies
Food Processing Media Group
Of the top 100 food and beverage companies in the United States and Canada as determined by Food Processing Media Group, 11 companies (4 of the top 10) have operations in the Shenandoah Valley: Anheuser Busch InBev, Cargill, Coca-Cola Bottling Co., DanoneWave, Dr. Pepper, The Hershey Company, McKee Foods Corporation, Molson Coors Beverage Company, PepsiCo Inc., Perdue Farms and Pilgrims Pride.
Regional turned national brands can be found here, too. Route 11 Potato Chips started production in the Valley in 1992, growing from a presence in local restaurants and at their production facility to an international market.
What makes the Valley a hub for food & beverage manufacturing?
Our strong agricultural sector is a perfect complement to food and beverage manufacturing, ensuring a reliable supply of grains, dairy and produce right here in the local market, reducing transportation costs and supply chain complexities.
The region’s supply chain ecosystem, including processing plants, cold storage facilities and packaging providers supports both large scale and more specialty producers.
Agriculture
The Shenandoah Valley has deep roots in agriculture and is a powerhouse when it comes to agricultural production — generating more than $2 billion in annual commodity sales.
The ag sector contributed more than $640 million to the Shenandoah Valley’s GRP in 2024.
Rockingham County is at the heart of the Valley’s agribusiness economy, generating $1.2 billion annually alone. As a whole, the region supports more than 13,000 agriculture related jobs and employment in agriculture and forestry is 71% above the national average.
Agriculture and agribusiness represent a broad range of companies including forestry operations and farm-dependent operations. The Shenandoah Valley’s strong agricultural logistics and supply chain network support every stage of production and create an efficient, vertically integrated agricultural ecosystem that keeps the Valley’s farm economy thriving.
Ag-tech in the Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley’s strong agricultural base fuels a growing ag-tech sector, from drone technologies and crop-specific bio-fertilizers to controlled-environment farms. With James Madison University and business incubators like the Virginia Innovation Accelerator driving collaboration, the region continues to cultivate innovation at the
intersection of agriculture and technology.
Advanced Manufacturing
In addition to a strong food & beverage manufacturing base, our region is home to a host of manufacturing operations including plastics, metal and automotive, and HVAC. Manufacturing has a heavier concentration in the Shenandoah Valley than in most regions of Virginia and, according to the Virginia Employment Commission’s demographic profile, manufacturing constitutes the largest private-sector employment.
Since 2019, The Shenandoah Valley has announced more than $3.9 million and nearly 3,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector.
Why do manufacturers choose the Shenandoah Valley?
The Shenandoah Valley offers manufacturers a competitive edge through its strategic location, skilled workforce, and cost-effective business environment — all within a region known for its operational efficiency and quality of life. The area’s workforce benefits from advanced training partnerships with regional education providers who offer programs that align with employer needs such as mechatronics, automation, logistics, and industrial maintenance.
Interested in learning more?