Intel Ohio getting new $200M neighbor from vitamin company's expansion

NEW ALBANY, Ohio (WCMH) - A vitamin and supplement firm is joining the trend of expansion into a little town near Columbus to the tune of more than $200 million.

California-based Pharmavite, LLC, which makes Nature Made and MegaFood brand products, said Monday that a new manufacturing facility in New Albany will be its fourth plant. The company plans to build the vitamin factory at 13312 Jug St. Rd. NW, which is just a two-minute drive from Intel's proposed semiconductor fabrication plant location.

A spokesperson for Pharmavite said it plans to start production at the new, 200,000 to 250,000 square-foot facility by the end of 2024. Once up and running, the health and wellness firm expects to create 225 new jobs there. J.P. Nauseef, president and CEO of JobsOhio, said Pharmavite is the 43rd project from the U.S. coasts to come to Ohio since 2019.

Representatives from the City of New Albany looked forward to the new addition.

"As we continue to expand and strengthen our health and life science cluster, we're excited to welcome a leading company like Pharmavite to join the ecosystem," said Michael Loges, economic development manager at the City of New Albany.

Pharmavite's plan for a New Albany plant also comes on the heels of Intel announcing it would delay the groundbreaking ceremony for its new fab in the same town. Intel cited the CHIPS Act -- which stalled in Congress after the U.S. House and Senate each passed different versions -- as a reason for hesitation.

"In order to be able to go fast, and we can do some great things and make that site the biggest manufacturing site for Intel, it can be bigger than this Arizona site, which is quite a dream for me, we need some help to do that," said Intel Ohio General Manager Jim Evers. "The CHIPS Act can help with that.”