CORNELIUS, NC. – The largest plant-based smokehouse will open in Cornelius, NC, this week. The 10,000-square-foot production facility, called Carolina Smokehouse, started production Oct. 12 with a goal to produce 800,000 lbs of plant-based Barvecue brand barbecue products per year. The plant will employ 15 people as production increases. 

"We're thrilled to increase production capacity of our wood-smoked, plant-based proteins to meet this demand as we expand into over 700 grocery stores by year-end," said Zack Werner, co-founder and chief operating officer of Barvecue.

The company’s current facility, located at 10308 Bailey Road in Cornelius and within walking distance of the new facility, is now the brand's Innovation Center.

Barvecue recently launched product nationally in 360 Sprouts Farmers Markets. Additional retail locations will be coming soon, which will make Barvecue available in over 700 stores by year-end. 

The plant-based brand also added distribution of its products at 10 colleges and universities around the country this fall including University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, University of Iowa and Washington State University.

"Our goal is to make great tasting food that just happens to be plant-based. Opening our new production facility gives Barvecue the ability to share our food with more and more people," Werner said.