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Raleigh Business 101 đź’Ľ

The top industries and employers in the Raleigh area
Downtown Raleigh
An aerial view of downtown Raleigh. | Photo by @dyyymondaerials
More than 1.17 million people (and thousands of businesses) contribute to the Raleigh area’s $95.6 billion economy. But have you ever wondered about the City of Oaks’ heaviest hitters?

Consider this Raleigh Business 101 — your guide to our region’s five key industries and six major employers.

Note: When we say the Raleigh area, that refers to Wake County’s 12 municipalities.

The key industries

There are five key industries that represent 75.3% of Wake County’s economy, based on data from the Raleigh Chamber and Wake County Economic Development. We’ve listed them in order of employment numbers.

Professional and Business Services | 19.1% with 127,319 employees
Everything from accounting and law firms to banks and marketing agencies fall under this umbrella — with larger employers including Fidelity Investments and Conduent Business Services.

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 17.3% with 115,884 employees
Walmart, Food Lion, and Target are the largest retailers in the region — last year, retail sales topped $21.1 billion in Wake County.

Outside of PNC Arena

PNC Arena and the Carolina Hurricanes employ ~400 people.

Photo by Carolina Hurricanes


Education and Health Services | 16.8% with 112,491 employees
Duke University and Duke Health Systems, the Wake County Public School System, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill take the lion’s share of this sector’s employment.

Government | 13% with 86,691 employees
When you account for the federal, state, and local employees across Wake County, plus all the government employees within each city, it adds up. The largest public administration employer is the State of North Carolina, which employs ~24,000 people for everything from park maintenance to tax assessment.

Leisure and Hospitality | 9.1% with 60,770 employees
The millions of people that visit the area each year — and their billions in spending — have played a major role in this sector’s growth over the last decade. Luihn Food Systems (think: KFC and Taco Bell), Concord Hospitality Enterprises, and PNC Arena are some of the largest employers.

We bet you’re curious for specific names. Click the link below to discover Wake County’s top employers.
MEET THE MAJOR PLAYERS
Test your business knowledge: Which company employs the most people globally?

A. Amazon
B. McDonalds
C. Walmart
D. Starbucks
CHECK YOUR ANSWER
Synergy Face + Body

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Thursday, Jan. 26
  • Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part Two | Thursday, Jan. 26-Sunday, Jan. 29 | Times vary | William Peace University, 15 E. Peace St., Raleigh | $12-$22 | Join Sweet Tea Shakespeare for the third installment of Shakespeare’s Henriad, chronicling the ascension of King Henry V of England.
Friday, Jan. 27
  • San Jose Sharks vs. Carolina Hurricanes | Friday, Jan. 27 | 7 p.m. | PNC Arena, 1400 Edwards Mill Rd., Raleigh | $25-$334 | Cheer on the Canes at home during Pride Night.
  • North Carolina Opera presents Don Giovanni | Friday, Jan. 27 + Sunday, Jan. 29 | Times vary | Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. South St., Raleigh | $23-$116 | Mozart’s masterpiece depicts one of the most memorable characters in opera, Don Juan.
Saturday, Jan. 28
  • Cody Johnson | Saturday, Jan. 28 | 7 p.m. | PNC Arena, 1400 Edwards Mill Rd., Raleigh | $40-$75 | See this country music singer-songwriter perform live with Randy Houser and Jesse Raub Jr.
Sunday, Jan. 29
  • Flights & Bites | Sunday, Jan. 29 | Times vary | The Wine Feed, 602 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh | $30 | Enjoy food from Plates Neighborhood Kitchen paired with wine flights.
  • Sunday Supper | Sunday, Jan. 29 | 6 p.m. | Young Hearts Distilling, 225 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh | $100 | Young Hearts chef Josiah Halbohm and Mandolin chef Sean Fowler will collaborate to create a dinner benefiting Now Serving.
Plan Ahead
We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
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Weather
  • 54Âş | Mostly sunny | 4% chance of rain 🌤️
Award
  • Yesterday, Preeti Waas of Cheeni Indian Food Emporium was named a James Beard Awards semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast. Kingfisher in Durham is a semifinalist for Outstanding Bar. Finalists will be announced on Wednesday, March 29, followed by an awards ceremony on Monday, June 5 in Chicago. đź‘Ź
Coming Soon
  • The teams behind Centro, Locals Seafood, and Ex-Voto are collaborating to open a new Latin American bar and restaurant in Gateway Plaza. The eatery, called Mala Pata, will serve dishes showcasing fresh masa. The spot is slated to open this summer in tandem with Peyote — a late-night ghost bar and market stall. 🍴
Eat
  • Vegetarian and vegan restaurant Fiction Kitchen is moving to Gateway Plaza from its current location on South Dawson Street. The relocated restaurant is aiming to open this summer.
  • Don’t just eat better — eat the best. Sunbasket’s meal kit service delivers delicious, healthy meals created by award-winning chefs straight to your front door. Bonus: RALtoday readers can get $100 off their first four deliveries and more when they sign up. 🍽️ *
Learn
  • The City of Raleigh Museum is hosting a new, free lecture series highlighting NC history and culture called Timely Connections. During the first lecture — today, Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. — Dr. Wayne Williams will speak about travel writer Horace Kephart and early American camping. Registration is encouraged.
Community
  • Head to East Bower Cider Co. this Saturday, Jan. 28 to celebrate the tradition of wassailing — waking the apple trees for a great harvest in the New Year. The cidery’s first Wassail Day party will feature oysters, a bluegrass band, food trucks, local vendors, cider specials, and face painting. 🍎
Sports
  • The Carolina Hurricanes are hosting their 10th Annual Alumni Game on Monday, Feb. 20 in Carter-Finley Stadium. Before the game, alumni will sign autographs. The game is free to watch (no tickets are required).
Try This
  • Do you have a cool weather photo? Think: Sunsets, clouds, rainstorms, and snow. Enter your best pic in Clouds Brewing’s What’s Your Forecast? contest. The winning photos will be featured on the upcoming Forecast IPA labels throughout the year. Submit your photos. ⚡
Ranked
  • Lawn Love recently ranked the cities with the most green space and Raleigh came in at No. 21. Cities were compared based on total acreage, average yard size, and number of parks. Enjoy our city’s green space at one of our 33 favorite parks in the City of Oaks. 🌳
Real Estate
  • Did you know local commercial real estate firm Trinity Partners can not only help you find the right space to lease or buy, they can help build it for you, too? Learn how their Project Management + Construction Services teams can help you build value from start to finish.*
Giveaway
  • Want celeb status in 2023? Enter to win our 2023 Party like a VIP Giveaway now through Thursday, Feb. 2 at noon. One lucky winner will get two exclusive VIP tickets to all Sports & Social Cary and PBR Cary events (think: VIP Grand Opening Party, Halloween, New Year’s Eve + more) — food + drinks included. 🎉*
Finance
  • Erase credit card interest until nearly 2025? Sounds good to us. This balance transfer card can do just that, providing you up to 21 months for the important stuff: travel, education, good food, time with family, or paying off debt. Apply today in minutes.*
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Shipping containers 🤝 leafy greens

Your leafy greens could be growing in a shipping container
Inside the B3 Roots shipping container farm.
B3 Roots grows unique greens like Astro and Wasabi arugula. | Photo by RALtoday
It’s always a perfect spring day at Blake Bennett’s farm. Seriously — it’s programmed that way.

Located in an unassuming shipping container south of Raleigh is B3 Roots, a fully-automated, vertical hydroponic farm filled from floor to ceiling with leafy greens. In just 320-sqft, Blake operates a three-acre farm from seed to harvest with no soil. He can grow more than 500 different crop varieties like arugula, lettuce, kale, chard, mustard, basil, and edible flowers.

All of the greens are harvested and delivered in less than a day to local families and restaurants around the Triangle including O-Ku, Hawthorne & Wood, and the soon-to-open East End Bistrot. This year, Blake plans to begin a regular greens donation to A Place At the Table.

Blake launched his farm in 2022 and will celebrate its one-year anniversary in February. For now, B3 is a one-man show, but he hopes to grow the farm to three shipping containers and hire employees.

Click the link below to see inside the shipping container farm.
WHAT'S GROWING ON
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THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Anne.

Editor’s pick: I’m fully embracing the Year of the Trail. My goal is to explore at least two trails every month — that’s 24 trails in 2023. Last weekend, I hiked around the Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area. Where should I go this weekend? Help me choose. 🥾

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Mark your calendar for this year’s celestial events in Raleigh.
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Editorial: Cat George, Anne Tate, Erin McPherson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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