Carolina Foods marks 90th anniversary, opens new facility

The new facility will allow the brand to double its capacity.

Carolina Foods, a North Carolina-based bakery famous for its iconic Duchess Honey Buns, doughnuts, pastries and pies, officially opened its new, state-of-the-art facility in the Charlotte suburb of Pineville, just 10 miles from its historic location in the Queen City's South End neighborhood.

The new headquarters is part of a strategic growth plan that began three years ago with an investment from Charlotte-based private equity firm Falfurrias Capital Partners, which specializes in growing middle-market businesses. Carolina Foods celebrated the new facility—and its 90th birthday—by gathering hundreds of employees, industry leaders, and civic dignitaries to commemorate the grand opening.

"This pivotal milestone symbolizes a new era and the culmination of decades of dedication and commitment to the customers we serve," said Carolina Foods CEO Dan Myers. "The delicious smell of our honey buns now fills the air in Pineville, a testament to the innovation and quality that has kept us thriving for 90 years, and we are grateful to celebrate this new chapter surrounded by our esteemed employees, community members, and partners."

While the facility is complete and operational, work will continue over the next several months installing and commissioning additional production lines that will allow Carolina Foods to roughly double its capacity vs. the South End location. More and more production will move to the Pineville location, with the original operation expected to phase out by the end of 2025. Future plans have not been determined for the South End property, which is still owned by the Scarborough family.

Also joining the grand opening celebration was Paul Scarborough, son of founder Vernon Scarborough, whose vision and entrepreneurial spirit laid the foundation for Carolina Foods' enduring success. Representatives from Falfurrias Capital Partners and Mecklenburg County were also on hand, underscoring the collaborative effort behind this monumental project and highlighting the brand's significance to the county.

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Liz Parker Kuhn is the senior editor of Candy Industry and Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, and has worked at BNP Media since 2012. She has written for CBS Detroit as well as for her own blogs. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. Liz can be contacted at (248) 839-7156 or at parkere@bnpmedia.com.