RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced that Armored Fresh, the U.S. subsidiary of Armored Fresh Inc., a South Korean leading food tech company, will invest $125,000 to expand its headquarters in Fairfax County.
The company will bolster marketing and sales staff support to scale up its presence in the United States. Virginia successfully competed with California, Maryland, New York, and Washington, D.C. for the project, which will create 27 new jobs.
“It is gratifying to support the growth of an international company like Armored Fresh, whose success further strengthens Virginia’s standing as a prime global business destination,” said Youngkin. “The company is advancing food technology with its vegan cheese products, and we are proud that this industry innovation is happening right here in the Commonwealth.”
“As a trailblazer in vegan food production, Armored Fresh will grow its U.S. market presence with this expansion in Fairfax County,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick. “Virginia’s food and beverage processing industry is one of the Commonwealth’s fastest growing sectors, and we thank Armored Fresh for its investment and job creation as part of that roster.”
“Armored Fresh is very excited to bring great-tasting, zero-dairy cheese that everyone can enjoy. Based on almond milk, our cheese comes super close to matching the taste and texture that people expect in cheese. We’ve received many epic responses from people after tasting our cheese,” said Andrew Yu, CEO of Armored Fresh. “Northern Virginia and Fairfax County has a rich history in dairy and is advancing in tech innovation. We’re glad to make Fairfax County our home and be part of the vibrant business and innovation community.”
Established in 2021 and headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Armored Fresh is the first company in the world to commercialize almond milk-based cheeses in various forms. The company’s products include sliced American style, shredded mozzarella, cheese cubes, and spreadable cream cheeses in a variety of flavors. Three things that distinguish Armored Fresh from other plant-based cheese brands are superior taste, nutrition, and its scalability. As a result of the expansion in Fairfax County, the company will serve the U.S. market through online sales on its website (armoredfresh.com) and in brick-and-mortar stores first in New York City, then in other cities and states.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority to secure the project for Virginia and will support Armored Fresh’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.
