GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Gold Creek Foods is making its mark in the “Poultry Capital of the World” in the former Peach State Bank and Trust building. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place Oct. 6, with remarks from Mark Sosebee, Gold Creek CEO.
The bank’s architecture is iconic in Gainesville, Ga., with its prominent location and distinctive red brick and white columns. The bank has a new, sleek design and will become the headquarters for leadership staff and front office employees for Gold Creek Foods.
Even the drive-through teller and bank vault has been made into an office space. Sosebee noted that they have made Gold Creek Foods into one of the top poultry processors in Georgia and the United States.
He said “in our earliest days, before we were called Gold Creek Foods, we had office space in Gainesville, so this is like a homecoming for us. We’re proud of the investment we’re making in this headquarters because it means so much to our team and to our community.”
Gold Creek, in a release, gave some insight as to how the Peach State Bank and Trust building was transformed into a headquarters for Gold Creek Foods. Joe Mattocks and Shonda Sosebee worked alongside Caroll Daniel Construction. Carroll Daniel is a general contractor located in Gainesville. They added more breakrooms and bathrooms. On the first floor, there is an oval meeting room. The office space has a clear glass exterior. However, if a meeting is taking place, the clear glass can turn into frosted glass with the press of a button to ensure privacy during a meeting.
Approximately 60 employees will occupy this building of 18,882 square feet. Mattocks, Gold Creek board member, explained that 46 employees will move in and will use 75 percent of the building. He suggested that it leaves room for growth and touch down desks for individuals to alternate, such as sales workers.
Sosebee founded Gold Creek Foods in 2000. The company notes that it is, “Focused on quality and innovation, Gold Creek Foods utilizes world-class technology, feedback from our trusted partners and the dedication of our employees to continuously improve and deliver on our promise to our customers. Gold Creek Foods specializes in raw processing to fully cooked products for many industry leaders, national accounts, foodservice, and retail chains.”
Sosebee’s mother worked in Dawson County, Ga., for a clothing company that made Boy Scout Uniforms called “Sweet Orr.” She began working at the establishment after she graduated from high school in the 1960s. In 2003, her son bought the property of Sweet Orr to start Gold Creek Foods first processing plant.
Sosebee, on looking back on the successes that Gold Creek Foods has seen, he notes that he was proud that the company had southern roots in Georgia and the legacy that it will leave in the south.
“I’m so proud of the company we’ve built,” Sosebee said. “Not only do we have multiple poultry processing facilities across Georgia, we’ve also grown across state lines into Tennessee. We know this new headquarters will continue to inspire our team to be the best at what we do.”
Gold Creek Foods adds in its release that it, “began its journey in Gainesville over two decades ago in 2000 and by 2004, had already grown to 250 employees. Today, the company has a workforce of almost 4,000 team members, up dramatically from 2,300 in 2021. This 1,500 percent increase in just under 20 years ranks the company among North Georgia’s top employers.”
