Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp Announces CJ Foodville to Invest $47 Million in Hall County
Below is a press release from Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.
Atlanta, GA – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that CJ Foodville Corporation, a subsidiary of CJ Group, will invest more than $47 million in a new bakery and food processing facility in Gainesville, creating an estimated 285 jobs in Hall County.
“Our top-ranked workforce training program remains a crucial tool for our state as we prepare hardworking Georgians for opportunities in a range of sectors, including the food industry,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “With Georgia’s access to 80 percent of the U.S. market within a two-day drive, companies like CJ Foodville have a recipe for success. We are excited for CJ Foodville to support its TOUS les JOURS brand from Georgia and partner with the Hall County community to create lasting jobs.”
CJ Foodville is a subsidiary of CJ Group, one of the largest food service and food processing companies in South Korea. CJ Foodville made its first overseas expansion and entered the U.S. market in 2004 with its TOUS les JOURS bakery café brand, which currently has four storefronts in Georgia.
“Based on our strong profitability, we have decided to establish a factory in the U.S. to enhance our production and supply capabilities in response to the expanding scale of the TOUS les JOURS business,” said Tony Hunsoo Ahn, CEO of CJ Foodville USA. “We are committed to promoting the unique competitiveness of the K-Bakery, which is built upon excellent product quality in a diverse range of bread and cakes. Our ultimate goal is to establish the TOUS les JOURS brand as a globally cherished bakery brand that transcends borders and captivates palates worldwide.”
The new facility, located at the Gainesville Business Park northeast of Atlanta, is expected to be completed in 2025. At full capacity, it will produce more than 19,000 tons of products per year. CJ Foodville will be hiring for positions in procurement, production, logistics, quality control, utility, HR/Accounting, and supply chain management related positions. Learn more about the company at www.cjfoodville.co.kr.
“We are excited to have another globally branded food company call the Gainesville-Hall County Metro home,” said Mayor Sam Couvillon of Gainesville. “Gainesville has been setting the table for CJ Foodville to be a part of our business community through investments to expand Gainesville’s robust infrastructure network to the new Gainesville Business Park.”
“CJ Foodville will be a welcome part of Gainesville-Hall County’s business community of 330 global manufacturers and processers,” said Tim Evans, Vice President of Economic Development for the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce. “Gainesville-Hall County offers a competitive advantage for food and pharmaceutical businesses by connecting them to world-class talent, industry specific training at Lanier Technical College, a network of cold-chain logistics providers, and global markets through Georgia Port Authority’s new Inland Port Terminal, expected to open in 2026.”
Director of Korean Investment Yoonie Kim represented the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) Global Commerce team on this competitive project in partnership with the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, Georgia EMC, and Georgia Quick Start.
“Georgia’s economy is exceptionally diverse, and it’s a critical factor in allowing us to weather economic changes,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “CJ Foodville’s investment is a great example of both the diversity of our economy and the investments coming from our international partners. Connectivity creates opportunity, and Georgia’s decades-long relationship with South Korea has built a diverse economic and cultural exchange reflected across the state. Congratulations to CJ Foodville and our friends in Gainesville-Hall County.”
Half of the country’s top 100 food processing companies operate in Georgia. Locations of new and expanding food processing companies ranked among the greatest number of new industrial projects during fiscal year 2022 and resulted in more than $923 million in investment in fiscal year 2023. Complementing this growth, Georgia offers 178 million square feet of cold storage space, and logistics and infrastructure stemming from Georgia’s already central location in the southeastern U.S. allow companies to quickly and efficiently move products in and out of the state.
About CJ Foodville Corporation
CJ Foodville Corporation started by opening a family restaurant in South Korea in 1994 and launched a homegrown, Western-style family restaurant “VIPS” in 1997, laying the foundation as a specialized food service company. Founded in South Korea in 1997, TOUS les JOURS has more than 1,650 stores worldwide. Foodville anticipates 120 TOUS Les JOURS stores in the U.S. by the end of this year and 1,000 stores by 2030. CJ Foodville also currently runs eight restaurant and franchise brands and multi-restaurant culture spaces with a goal of providing unique Korean food service value to a global market. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.cjfoodville.co.kr.
