Our History
JC Whitehurst, Jr. (left) in Cannon's Warehouse
1953: 4 employees, 1 vendor, 1 product
October 1953
Coastal AgroBusiness, Inc. was founded in 1953 by James Clarence (JC) Whitehurst, Jr., a young entrepreneur and farmer who saw an opportunity to serve the farming community. At just 24 years old, JC started the company—then named Coastal Chemical Corporation—selling one of the first effective nematicides for tobacco.
Operating out of the corner of Cannon's Tobacco Warehouse in Greenville, North Carolina, the company's territory covered a 50-mile radius with four employees and one product to sell.
The business steadily grew over the next decade before moving to a new facility on Evans Street, where it remained for 53 years.
Tobacco Sucker Control Application
1950s to 1980s
From the 1950s through the 1970s, Coastal expanded its product offerings, adding products from multiple manufacturers and developing its own proprietary products, beginning with a widely used tobacco sucker control that remains in its lineup today.
The company also began building and selling sprayers, marking the start of its equipment division.
Growth continued into the 1980s, with new locations opening in North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina.
Fertilizer added to product line in 1991
1990s to 2000s
In the early 1990s, Coastal continued to diversify by adding fertilizer blending and seed to its offerings.
Over the next two decades, the company strengthened its regional presence through acquisitions and the opening of new locations across North Carolina.
The 2000s brought further diversification, including the addition of seed treatments and peanut buying, drying and grading stations.
In recognition of its broad range of products and services beyond chemicals, the company changed its name to Coastal AgroBusiness, Inc. in 2002.
TCS Storage and Central Distribution
Greenville Industrial Park
2010s to 2020s
As Coastal continued to grow, the company embarked on a long-term plan to relocate the Greenville home office and operations to Greenville Industrial Park. The transition began in 2005 with the move of storage and distribution facilities, followed by plant operations and the parts and equipment shop in 2012. Greenville's retail trade was moved to Kinston, NC. And in 2017, the relocation plan was completed with the move of the corporate office to its current location on Staton Road in the Industrial Park.
Recognizing the role of technology in modern agriculture, Coastal launched AgroVision Precision Technologies in 2014 to offer precision equipment and introduced Agrolytix Precision Agronomy in 2016 to provide precision data and agronomy services.
Jim Whitehurst and JC Whitehurst
Leadership
JC Whitehurst, Jr. led the company as president and CEO until 1997, when his son, James Clarence (Jim) Whitehurst, III, succeeded him.
Under Jim’s leadership, Coastal AgroBusiness continues to embrace innovation while staying true to the values established at its founding—integrity, fairness, respect, and a commitment to serving the evolving needs of farmers.