Muscadine Products Corporation: How Sweet (and Healthy) It Is!
For over six generations, the Paulk family has farmed the land in Irwin County.
In 1970, fourth-generation farmer Jacob Paulk planted a few acres of muscadine grapes for the first time, and in doing so planted the seeds for a thriving business. And, for 50 years, the Paulk family has been selling fresh muscadines in grocery stores and farmer’s markets.
Today, the Paulk family are not only stewards of an 800-acre vineyard in Irwin County – the world’s largest muscadine vineyard – but are combining innovation and tradition to create health products that are shipped across the country and beyond.
While the vineyard had long produced fresh grapes for sale, Jacob, his son Gary, and his grandson Chris formed Muscadine Products Corporation (MPC) 20 years ago to process muscadines into food products like juices and jellies. In 2017, MPC took another step forward and started its own winery.
The “Superfruit of the South,” muscadines grow only where the humid climate is conducive to the conditions they need to thrive. Georgia is the largest producer of muscadine grapes in the U.S., which are known for their powerful antioxidant properties.
What’s not commonly known is what else MPC offers: a line of ingredients for health food formulations and a line of bottled products for health-conscious consumers.
These products include juices, extracts, concentrates, powders, and oils for the beverage, food, health, and cosmetics industries, all extracted from muscadines. Seasonally, MPC also custom-processes blueberries, blackberries, and other regional fruits into juices, concentrates, and powders.
To grow the business beyond fresh produce to health products, MPC CEO Chris said the company partnered early on with the Georgia Center of Innovation AgTech team, which aided them in procuring a grant that funded research on the muscadine extraction process. The University of Georgia (UGA) Food Sciences and Technology Department as well as its Food Product Innovation and Commercialization Center in Griffin (Foodpic) have worked on several projects with MPC.
“Through the UGA grant research, we learned that muscadines support healthy aging, cardiovascular health, the immune system, and digestive system,” Chris said. “The skin and seeds, the byproducts of the wine-making process, have great antioxidant benefits, so we started producing extracts and incorporating them into products people use. That’s a unique part of our business.”
Chris says most of the recent demand for the company’s health products is international, and assistance from the International Trade team at the Georgia Department of Economic Development has been critical in expanding their export market.
“At every step, the Trade team has answered questions about fulfilling orders, exporting, and shipping,” Chris said. “They’ve helped with the business registration process in China and assisted in developing leads for new customers through trade shows and connections with the state’s International Representatives.”
“We’re also members of the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Georgia Grown program, which is helpful in marketing our products,” Chris said.
Going forward, MPC plans to continue developing and marketing healthy ingredients and growing their wine markets. At Paulk Vineyards, the family produces 22 varieties of muscadine wine, which are distributed to stores around Georgia and shipped to more than 40 states. Jorjanne Paulk, Chris’ wife, manages the retail tasting room and winery events. In 2023, the company was awarded the “Winery of Distinction” at the Georgia Trustees Wine & Spirits Competition.
“We’ve gone from farming to manufacturing to hospitality,” Chris said. “We wanted a way to create community, and celebrate the wine, food, crafts, and other products made down this way, so five years ago we started the South Georgia Wine Festival and invited wineries south of Atlanta to showcase their products from the southern part of the state.”
The family hosts the annual Georgia Muscadine Festival on Labor Day weekend, the peak of the harvesting season, and other events throughout the year. MPC also sponsors school and local teams and events and participates in “Ag Awareness Day” in local schools.
“We have a small team, but it’s a great one. I tell everyone there’s dirt in my fingernails because we’re all in it together,” says Paulk. “A lot of our customers didn’t know how to pronounce ‘muscadine,’ and had never seen or tasted one. Knowing your customer, how to educate and serve them, is really important.”
Every year in honor of Georgia Small Business Week, the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) and the Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA) team up to present a few outstanding small businesses with the title of Small Business ROCK STARS. The awards salute the risks taken, innovations, outreach, and impact of the state’s small businesses. Each of this year’s winners has fewer than 300 full-time employees, makes a positive impact in their community, and was founded in the State of Georgia. Learn more about the program and the rest of the 2024 ROCK STARS.