David Godwin and his father Anthony

The Godwin operation was formed in 1936 by David’s grandfather, E.E.Godwin, Sr. While he grew sweetpotatoes all that time, he didn’t start packing and shipping them on his own until 1946, with what was considered the first sweetpotato packing line in North Carolina. He was also a charter member of the NC SweetPotato Commission and its’ first president. When he died in 1965, E.E. Godwin Sr.’s four sons, including David’s father, Anthony, and a son-in-law, continued the business.

At that time the Godwin’s farming operation included tobacco, hay, sweetpotatoes, watermelons, peppers, pecans and squash grown in at least four NC counties--Johnston, Sampson, Harnett, and Cumberland. Family members also sold fertilizer and seed to other growers. David bought into the business in 1995 and now grows between 300 to 350 acres of sweetpotatoes. the largest part of what they pack and ship. The operation also buys potatoes from lots of family members. Godwin Produce maintains the chain of quality early by planting micropropogated Beauregard or Hernandez seed to insure sweetpotaotes that are more uniform in size, shape and appearance. Once the crop is carefully harvested, sweetpotatoes go into Godwin’s newly renovated climate-controlled storage facilities, allowing Godwin to ship the same quality sweetpotatoes throughout the year, whether it’s Thanksgiving or Memorial Day.

Predominately a shipper to retail chains along the east coast, Godwin Produce has also seen a steady sales growth to the foodservice industry as well. Their mechanized packing line can provide a variety of sizes for food services distributors. Godwin’s number one’s are branded with the Godwin Produce label. David says, “The actual label we use today was one like my grandfather used when they pasted labels on wire baskets.” Godwin Produce also markets a Sweet Carolina brand of #1s. They also market Godwin’s Blue Ribbon Jumbos and a Holiday consumer 10-pound box branded as Dunn’s Best.

Godwin Produce aims to deliver the right sized sweetpotato for the consumer’s dinner table, whether at home or in a restaurant. Godwin Produce is large enough to provide customers with year-round sweetpotatoes, whether they are jumbo backers or in custom count cartons. They are also small enough for his father, Anthony, and other family members to provide hands-on help to assuring quality produce. David says of the operation, “When we plant, we’re there. When we harvest, we’re there. And we’re on the packing line all the way to putting boxes on the truck.”

For Godwin Produce, it’s been a 7-decade commitment process. Now president of the NC SweetPotato Commission, David says “I don’t know where our industry would be in the state without the commission. In the last 7 or 8 years or so, the Commission has stepped up funding R&D at NC State through our assessment dollars. From a marketing standpoint, the Commission made a big push on foodservice and now it’s rare that you can’t find sweetpotatoes on the menu in a steakhouse. We’re constantly trying to grow our market with the addition of the NCSweetPotato Commission Foundation, trying to put more value-added products on the shelf.”