Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced that StarKist Co., a leading seafood and chicken producer in the United States, will invest $3.6 million to relocate its corporate and administrative headquarters operations from Pittsburgh to Fairfax County. The company will occupy approximately 24,000 square feet at 1875 Explorer Street in Reston. Virginia successfully competed with Maryland for the project, which will create 83 new jobs.
“Virginia is home to a diverse ecosystem of more than 800 corporate headquarters representing a broad cross section of industries,” said Governor Northam. “We are thrilled to welcome StarKist Co. to Fairfax County, which consistently attracts top talent and is well connected to key customer markets and major metro areas throughout the United States and beyond. The Commonwealth looks forward to a long and fruitful partnership with this popular American household brand.”
Founded in 1917, StarKist Co. was the first brand to introduce single-serve pouch products, which include Tuna Creations®, Salmon Creations®, and Chicken Creations®. StarKist’s charismatic brand icon, Charlie® the Tuna, swam into the hearts of tuna fans in 1961 and is still a fan favorite today. StarKist Co. is a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Dongwon Industries Co., Ltd.
“Adding StarKist Co. to our roster of corporate headquarters is a wonderful testament to the Commonwealth’s ability to provide a world-class workforce, reliable infrastructure, and much sought after quality of life,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “StarKist will be a great addition to the many global brands that call Fairfax County home.”
“StarKist is proud to make Reston, Virginia our official global headquarters starting in April 2022,” said Andrew Choe, President and CEO of StarKist Co. “We would like to thank Governor Northam and the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority for their ongoing support throughout this process. I believe the move to Virginia will provide an outstanding work environment for our employees, as well as an opportunity to expand the StarKist business in the years ahead.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority to secure the project for Virginia and will support StarKist’s job creation through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP), which provides consultative services and funding to companies creating new jobs in order to support employee recruitment and training activities. As a business incentive supporting economic development, VJIP reduces the human resource costs of new and expanding companies. VJIP is state-funded, demonstrating Virginia’s commitment to enhancing job opportunities for citizens.
Commercial real estate firm K&L Gates and West, Lane & Schlager assisted StarKist with its move to Fairfax County.
“I am so pleased to thank StarKist for choosing Fairfax County for its new headquarters,” said Victor Hoskins, President and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. “This is a testament to the growing attractiveness of Northern Virginia to a wide variety of industry sectors and companies that know we have the assets and talent base to succeed here.”
“I am very pleased to welcome StarKist, a 100-year-old staple of the American economy, to Reston and appreciate the company’s decision to relocate its corporate and administrative headquarters to Northern Virginia,” said Senator Janet Howell. “Everyone knows StarKist— ‘America’s favorite tuna’—and we love the products. I have no doubt that StarKist will bring something quite special to the Reston area, and look forward to watching them take full advantage of what Fairfax County’s vibrant economy has to offer.”