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FSTC Overview
FSTC Strategic Location
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology is uniquely positioned within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to support economic development through partnerships with industry and key educational activities.
Just as importantly, our campus is centrally located within a diverse and unique demographic area that not only includes thousands of business professionals but also local residents and community members. This provides attractive support for development of a Food Science and Technology Center on campus.
Finally, our active partnerships with industry, professional, and trade groups provide the possibility for consumer research in the field in association with public events, conferences, or educational activities.
The food and agriculture industry represents a major business sector within Pennsylvania and the United States. Pennsylvania is home to over 2,500 food processing and manufacturing companies making it the leading northeastern state in the food industry and the fourth largest in the U.S. in terms of the number of food-related companies (PA Department of Agriculture).
Pennsylvania food processing and manufacturing is a $28 billion industry that employs over 68,000 people (2007 U.S. Economic Census). Agricultural food production adds an additional $5.8 billion in annual sales and 63,000 workers to these numbers (2007 U.S. Census of Agriculture).
The top ten food industry companies in Pennsylvania include global, national, and regional companies (Table 1).
Top Pennsylvania Food Industry Companies by Sales
1. H. J. Heinz
2. Giant Eagle
3. The Hershey Company
4. United Refining Company
5. Weis Markets, Inc.
6. Redner's Market's, Inc.
7. Snyder's of Hanover, Inc.
8. Clemens Markets, Inc.
9. Knouse Foods Cooperative, Inc.
10. Turkey Hill Dairy
Top Pennsylvania Food Industry Companies by Number of Employees
1. Hershey Company
2. Miller Distributing, Inc
3. United Vending Service, Inc
4. Klafter's, Inc
5. A J Silberman & Company, L P
6. Bell's Wholesale Grocery, Inc
7. Cooper-Booth Wholesale Co Lp
8. Blackburn-Russell Co , Inc
9. George J Howe Company
10. Chester A Asher Inc