"Made in Chesterfield" means big business, more jobs - NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News

Chesterfield County is getting a big boost with the expansion of several huge corporations. Thursday was Sabra's ground-breaking for their "Center of Excellence," which means more jobs and a growing tax base for the County.

Sabra is the world's leading hummus-maker and their "Center for Excellence" will be an extent ion of their current facility. The Center will act as a research facility.

"We want to take our company to the second level," said Sabra's CEO Ronan Zohar. "How we take our product and make it even healthier, how to make them even more exciting than they are today. That's what we'll do in the Center for Excellence."

Sabra originated in New York City but came to Chesterfield just two years ago. The company along with Capital One and Amazon mean over 1,100 new jobs in the Chesterfield area.

Sabra employee Jason Spillman knows how important that number is. Before Sabra, the married father of two was unemployed for two years.

"When you don't have a job then you come to place like this," Spillman tells NBC12. "The atmosphere that's here. The family-like environment that we have. It's almost like a 'thank you.'"

Chesterfield's tax base will only boom, said the county's economic development team. Between the three corporations, Chesterfield is expected to bring in nearly $3 million a year in taxes, which will contribute to the County's school system, emergency services and beyond.

Sabra's "Center for Excellence" will bring in 19 new jobs alone and is expected to open mid-2013.

Copyright 2012 WWBT NBC12.  All rights reserved.