Rocky Mount, Va. – October 05, 2026 -- Traditional Medicinals has started tea production at its new $47 million, 110,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Franklin County, Virginia, marking the botanical wellness company's shift to bicoastal manufacturing after more than five decades of operating solely from California.
New Virginia plant becomes company's second manufacturing site after Sebastopol, California
The facility, located in Summit View Business Park, joins Traditional Medicinals' original site in Sebastopol as the company seeks more efficient, sustainable distribution to meet nationwide demand for botanical wellness products. The plant is the first and only tilt-up concrete construction project in Franklin County, built with regionally based design and construction partners including MB Contractors, Interactive Design Group, ProCon Inc., Jamison Electric, Varney Inc., and Bowman Excavation.
Local hiring creates 19 jobs as all-electric facility targets sustainability
Traditional Medicinals staffed the facility's startup entirely with locally hired talent, creating 19 new jobs in Franklin County to date. The all-electric plant uses no on-site fossil fuels, and four bioswales capture and naturally filter 100% of runoff from the roof and parking areas.
Throat Coat Tea becomes first product run, tied to regional slippery elm sourcing
The facility's first product run is Throat Coat Tea, one of the company's best-selling products, chosen partly because slippery elm, a key ingredient, is sourced domestically throughout Appalachia. Traditional Medicinals also supports ongoing slippery elm tree research through a partnership with Virginia Tech.
Project generates over $62 million in regional economic impact since 2025 groundbreaking
Since breaking ground in July 2025, the company has built ties with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Franklin County, Roanoke Regional Partnership, Friends of Ferrum Park, Appalachian Sustainable Development, and Appalachian Harvest Herb Hub. The project is expected to generate more than $62 million in economic impact for the region.
The Sebastopol facility will continue operating at full capacity, producing the company's full line of more than 60 herbal teas, while the Virginia site ramps up to match that output. Virginia's proximity to East Coast transportation networks is expected to support ethical sourcing relationships with herb suppliers in over 35 countries while improving distribution efficiency on the East Coast.
CEO Joe Stanziano said the company built relationships and hired locally throughout the project, calling it the start of a long-term partnership with Virginia.