Florence County Economic Development Partnership

The Fest of the P*e Dee’s 2nd Annual Downtown Jubilee is happening today!

In celebration of Juneteenth, Downtown Florence comes alive as local businesses partner with artists, poets, and performers to create a vibrant, walkable cultural experience. Throughout the day, visitors can explore pop-up spoken word performances, visual art displays, live music, and other creative expressions showcased inside participating downtown establishments during their regular business hours.

The celebration continues this evening at the FMU Performing Arts Center Amphitheater with a live performance by The Bhakti Project, followed by a social hour and additional art experiences in the Black Box Theater.

This event is free and open to the public.

For more information: www.juneteenth-fest.org

More coverage of Cheney Brothers Grand Opening yesterday! Thank you WPDE ABC15

Cheney Brothers distribution center opens in Florence, creating 700 jobs A major new employer is now up and running in Florence County, with nearly 700 people working at a newly opened food service distribution plant.A grand opening

Thank you Post and Courier P*e Dee for taking part in the Cheney Brothers, Florence distribution facility grand opening!

A Florida-based food distributor just hosted the grand opening for its multi-million dollar Florence facility. (Full story below.)

Media advisory

Cheney Brothers Grand Opening of Florence Distribution Facility Marks Major Investment and Job Growth

Florence, SC — Cheney Brothers, Inc., Florence County Economic Development Partnership and design-build firm A M King are hosting an official grand opening event for the food distributor’s first facility in South Carolina. A M King has completed design and construction of the 386,047-sf refrigerated/freezer distribution center, which includes 45 loading docks, a Cheney Express and the largest culinary kitchen the company has developed to date.

Part of Performance Food Group, Cheney Brothers, based in Riviera Beach, FL, was founded in 1925. The Florence facility site is located on nearly 50 acres inside MPD Electric Cooperative’s P*e Dee Commerce City East Industrial Park. Its strategic location on I-95 provides Cheney Brothers with direct access to expand its reach across the region.

The grand opening is scheduled for June 17 and will feature participation from Cheney Brothers’ Chairman & CEO Byron Russell, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, members of the Florence County legislative delegation, and city and county officials.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony is a private event for invited guests and credentialed media.

Quotes:

"Cheney Brothers’ investment in Florence County reflects the strength of our location, infrastructure, and workforce. Situated at the intersection of Interstate 95 and Interstate 20, Florence offers unmatched connectivity to major markets across the Southeast and East Coast. This connectivity, combined with a skilled workforce and business-friendly environment, continues to make Florence a premier destination for logistics, distribution and advanced manufacturing investments.”
— Jerry Yarborough, Florence County Council Chairman

“This represents a major milestone for Florence County and for Cheney Brothers as they continue to expand their footprint in our community. This project reflects strong partnerships and long-term vision, and underscores Florence County’s position as a premier logistics and distribution hub. Together, the two phases represent a combined $110 million investment to our region, delivering high-quality jobs and lasting economic impact for our communities.”
— Rocky Pearce, Chairman, Florence County Economic Development Partnership

Cheney Brothers, Inc. is a broadline food distributor that delivers more than 16,000 different products throughout the Southeast region of the United States and in more than 100 countries. Cheney Brothers employs more than 3,800 individuals and reports annual revenues exceeding $3.2 billion.

A M King is an integrated Design-Build firm based in Charlotte, NC with offices in Greenville, SC, Chicago, IL and Milwaukee, WI. An employee-owned company, A M King consistently and successfully delivers quality projects throughout the United States.

Florence County Economic Development Partnership serves as the public-private entity that works to recruit new business and industry to Florence County, South Carolina, while also helping existing industries grow and expand.

Performance Food Group (PFG) is an industry leader and one of the largest food and foodservice distribution companies in North America, with more than 150 locations. Founded and headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, PFG and its family of companies market and deliver quality food and related products to more than 300,000 locations, including independent and chain restaurants, businesses, schools, healthcare facilities, vending and office coffee service distributors, and big-box retailers, theaters and convenience stores. PFG’s success as a Fortune 100 company is driven by approximately 43,000 associates who are committed to building strong relationships with customers, suppliers and the communities the company serves. To learn more about PFG, visit pfgc.com.

Read the full release: https://www.fcedp.com/news/cheney-brothers-grand-opening-of-florence-distribution-facility-june-17

Need information from the City of Florence?

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🚨 JOB FAIR ALERT 🚨

Looking for your next career opportunity? Ready to grow your team with qualified candidates? Don't miss the SC Works P*e Dee & Lake City Public Library Job Fair (221 E. Main Street, Lake City) on Wednesday, July 7, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

👔 Job Seekers
Meet directly with employers who are actively hiring for a variety of positions. Bring copies of your résumé and be prepared to make valuable connections.

U.S. Veterans
Priority access will be provided from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

🏢 Employers
This is a great opportunity to connect with qualified job seekers and fill current openings within your organization. Employers can register by contacting SC Works P*e Dee, Phone: 843-519-1245, Charles Moses: [email protected]

Employer Registration Deadline: July 1.

A strong community is built by organizations that invest beyond their walls.

Florence County industry leader and Florence County Progress member Ruiz Food Products, Inc. has pledged $100,000 over the next five years to support the new MUSC Health Florence Cancer Center, helping expand access to advanced cancer care for families across the P*e Dee.

This commitment reflects the kind of corporate leadership that strengthens our region not only through jobs and economic investment, but also in support of initiatives that improve quality of life for all citizens.

Thank you to Ruiz Foods for continuing to make a difference in Florence County and beyond.

Read more:

Ruiz Foods pledges $100K over 5 years to support MUSC’s new Florence cancer center FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW) — Ruiz Food Products on Tuesday pledged $100,000 over five years to support a new cancer center at MUSC Health Florence Medical Center in Florence. The donation from the…

⚾ What a great night at the Florence Flamingos Home Opener!

Florence County Progress was proud to partner with NESA for a Family Networking Night, bringing together many of our newest members along with our Bronze, Silver, and Gold Pace Setter investors for an evening of baseball, networking, and community connections.

Thank you to everyone who joined us as we celebrated another exciting season in Florence and strengthened the relationships that help move our region forward.

A special thank you to event sponsors, GE HealthCare and Anderson Brothers Bank, for helping make the evening possible.

Interested in attending exclusive networking opportunities like this? Join Progress or explore upgrading your membership to unlock additional investor benefits and engagement opportunities. Visit FCEDP.com.