Founding Farmers, which operates a Montgomery County location at Park Potomac, has expanded its operations in Prince George’s County, moving its Washington, D.C. headquarters to a 17,000-square-foot facility in District Heights and planning to create more than 90 new full-time jobs by the end of 2027.
The farmer-owned restaurant, catering and distilling company purchased the facility at 8100 Cryden Way in 2024 to expand its commercial kitchen. The location is now fully operational and serves as both the company’s headquarters and a production facility for its restaurants and catering business.
The District Heights facility produces a variety of scratch-made products, including house-roasted coffee, handcrafted chocolates and fresh-baked pastries. It also centralizes catering operations, administrative functions, holiday offerings, culinary classes and the company’s contact center. Founding Farmers eventually plans to use the facility to support a direct-to-consumer online store.
Founding Farmers operates eight restaurants and employs more than 1,400 people throughout the Mid-Atlantic. The concept was created in 2005 and is majority owned by American family farmers, including members of the North Dakota Farmers Union. Its first restaurant opened in Washington, D.C. in 2008.
To assist with the expansion, Founding Farmers is eligible for a $375,000 conditional loan through the state’s Advantage Maryland program and a matching $375,000 conditional loan through Prince George’s County’s Economic Development Incentive Fund.
Co-founder Dan Simons said the company is “all-in for Maryland,” citing the local workforce, long-term investment potential and the facility’s proximity to the Capital Beltway as factors in the decision to establish its headquarters in District Heights.
