In early 2020, a tea company announced plans to build a $30 million manufacturing and processing center in Franklin County. However, due to the pandemic that began a few months later, these plans were put on hold. Traditional Medicinals, the company in question, stated recently that they are still considering the project.
Initially, the Ralph Northam administration made headlines with the announcement that Traditional Medicinals would establish its east coast hub in Franklin’s Summit View Business Park. Local and state governments offered incentives to reduce costs, and the business park seemed to have secured a major tenant. However, the project did not move forward at that time. The company decided to prioritize essential operations during the public health crisis. Now, after about a year of working on revising the project, Traditional Medicinals is planning to proceed.
According to spokeswoman Danielle Cantrell, construction and financing costs have increased substantially since the pandemic. While this has not affected the project’s viability, it has prompted the company to reassess and scale the project to fit the new economic landscape before moving forward. Cantrell did not provide further details on the project’s current status.
Despite the uncertainties surrounding the project, Franklin County’s economic development office still showcases it on their website. The Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission still holds the $245,000 it pledged to the project and is waiting for more information. Spokesman Jordan Butler stated that they are awaiting further updates on the project’s progress.