Chuck Caraway, owner and president of Southern Classic Food Group in Brundidge, spoke to the Brundidge Rotarians Wednesday about two new investments totalling $8.7 million that will bring 75 to 80 jobs to Brundidge over a 30-month period.

Caraway said Magnolia Vegetable Processors is a new partnership with Southern Classic Food Group, Southern Picklers and others. The company and partners will invest $5.5 million in the new venture, which will produce picked products. In addition, SCFG will expand its facility with a $3.2 million investment, and partner with a significant nationally distributed juice company to package foodservice juice products.

Caraway opened Southern Classic Foods in 2001 and the food processing business has continued to be successful with product distribution nationwide.

Caraway credits the success of Southern Classic Foods to “30 years of doing what you say you will do.”

“By doing what we say we will do, we have built a good reputation in the food processing industry,” he said. “We are not having to go out and sell and that’s because we do what we say we will do and because we have good employees.”

Caraway said forming good relationships over the years has also been an asset. A relationship that dates back 25 years to the cooking oil industry played a role in SCFG’s partnership with a nationally distributed juice company.

The food processing business is never boring, Caraway said, and added that he is looking forward to the new investments and the opportunities and challenges they will bring.

The Rotarians took advantage of the opportunity for questions and answers to quiz Caraway about another investment he has made in the Brundidge community, a restaurant on Main Street.

“Plans are for the restaurant to open before Labor Day,” Caraway said. “Brundidge was originally called Collier’s Store, so the restaurant will be named Collier’s on Main.”

The restaurant will be open for lunch six days a week and for dinner Thursday through Saturday.

“For lunch will have meat and vegetable choices but no buffet,” Caraway said. “We’ll also have fresh-made sandwiches, salads and soups. At night, we’ll have items including steak and seafood on the menu.”

Collier’s on Main will have a covered deck out back for those who enjoy that type dining atmosphere.

Caraway said the restaurant will depend on the support of the Brundidge community and hopes to be a restaurant of choice for outlying areas.