Palmetto Pulse Lowcountry for March 2026 DW edited

SALES OUTLOOK

New Primal Set to Eclipse $100M Sales Milestone in 2026

Charleston, South Carolina-based New Primal, a meat snacks producer, announced a roadmap to surpass $100 million in annual retail sales in 2026. Officials said the landmark achievement is anchored by a significant nationwide rollout into Aldi stores, contributing to a 40 percent year-over-year increase in the brand's retail footprint. By the close of Q1, New Primal will reach approximately 15,000 retail locations, supported by a multi-million-dollar capital investment in high-tech automation that triples the brand's production capacity, the officials said. 

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SPOTLIGHT

MUSC Health Celebrates Clements Ferry Pavilion Opening

MUSC Health leaders gathered with government officials to celebrate a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the MUSC Health Clements Ferry Pavilion. The medical pavilion will increase access to care for those in the surrounding communities of Berkeley and Charleston counties and bring medical specialties closer to home. The new medical pavilion opened in December 2025. The four-story 80,000-square-foot medical office building brings a wide range of comprehensive, coordinated care services together under one roof. The pavilion employs 180 physicians and care team members, and gives patients access to more than a dozen specialties.

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HEALTH CARE

Atelier Downtown Nexton Welcomes MUSC Health Outpatient Clinic

Downtown Nexton, the urban-inspired residential and commercial development from Sharbell Nexton LLC. (Sharbell), continues to expand with the addition of a new health care facility.  MUSC Health has opened a new outpatient clinic at Atelier Downtown Nexton, the development’s mixed-use office campus. This new office from MUSC Health will offer both primary care and cardiology outpatient services, and spans 7.41 acres along Brighton Park Boulevard

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SPOTLIGHT

Henderson Park and Landmark Properties Break Ground on The Mark Charleston, Announce $10,000 Donation 

Henderson Park, an international private equity real estate manager headquartered in Charleston, and Landmark Properties, a fully integrated real estate firm, have announced the official groundbreaking of The Mark Charleston, a six-story luxury student housing community delivering ahead of the 2027-2028 academic school year. During the ceremony, Henderson Park and Landmark Properties presented a $10,000 donation to Doors to Dream, a Charleston-based nonprofit. Located at 500 E. Bay St., the 335-bed community will serve students attending the College of Charleston and the surrounding area.

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WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Blackbaud Supports Generation: You Employed to Advance Workforce Development and Economic Mobility

Blackbaud, a provider of AI-powered solutions for social impact, has announced that Generation: You Employed, a global nonprofit network that supports people to achieve sustained economic mobility through employment, is the recipient of its 2026 Major Gift — a multi-year, six-figure philanthropic contribution dedicated to advancing workforce development and creating pathways to economic mobility worldwide. This gift builds on Blackbaud's AI leadership, including the launch of its AI Agent for Social Impact and the formation of the AI Coalition for Social Impact announced at bbcon 2025.

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EDUCATION EXCELLENCE

The Fulbright Program Recognizes CofC as one of the Universities with the Highest Number of Students and Recent Alumni Selected for the Prestigious Program

Three College of Charleston alumni are currently abroad building cross-cultural connections and furthering their education as part of the 2025-'26 Fulbright Program, helping propel the university to a top spot in a nationally competitive award. The most recent awardees are Jack Watson ’24, Rhiannon Wilkinson ’25, and Madison McKnight ’25. Watson and Wilkinson were named English teaching assistants at schools in Algiers and Germany, respectively. McKnight received a study/research award to the University of Glasgow to complete a graduate program in Scottish history.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

SCRA Announces New Grant Funding and Member Companies

Haruki Health and LouLou AI received new grant funding from the South Carolina Research Authority. Haruki Health received a $25,000 startup grant. The North Charleston-based startup offers an AI-driven resilience and recovery platform for professionals in high-stress and trauma-exposed roles (such as first responders, military, and public safety) to build mental endurance before incidents and support sustainable recovery after. LouLou AI received a $25,000 startup grant. The Charleston-based startup is a hospitality-focused AI company offering a 24/7 guest-facing voice and messaging assistant.

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MANUFACTURING ACQUISITION

FIP Acquires Paper Converters Inc.

Foundation Investment Partners (FIP) has announced the successful acquisition of Paper Converters, Inc. through its platform company, Sustainable Packaging, LLC. Founded in 2002 and located in Walterboro, South Carolina, Paper Converters is a manufacturer of spiral-wound paper tubes, edge board, and sheeting. All Paper Converters' products are 100 percent biodegradable and recyclable. This investment enables Paper Converters and its sister company, Amspak, to collaborate across overlapping product lines. The former owners of the business, Kline Smyly and Tanya Barnes, will remain with the company.

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LOCAL OPENING

Sparkle Grooming Co. Opens Doors with its First South Carolina Location

Sparkle Grooming Co., the wellness-focused dog grooming franchise, has announced the opening of its newest location at Mill Creek in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Located at 2118 SC-41, Suite 102, Mount Pleasant, Sparkle will be open seven days a week, Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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BANKING MERGER

Fifth Third Completes Merger with Comerica to Become Ninth Largest U.S. Bank

Fifth Third Bancorp (Nasdaq: FITB) announced it has closed its merger with Comerica Incorporated to create the ninth-largest U.S. bank with approximately $294 billion in assets. Fifth Third will now operate in 17 of the 20 fastest-growing large markets in the country, including key regions in the Southeast, Texas, and California, while solidifying its leadership in the Midwest. The combined company now has two $1 billion recurring and high-return fee businesses in commercial payments and wealth and asset management.

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AI AWARDS

Blackbaud Honored with Triple Award Recognition for Pioneering AI Innovation, Responsible Leadership, and Transformative Social Impact

Blackbaud, a leading provider of AI-powered solutions for social impact, has announced it has received three prestigious industry awards recognizing the company's pioneering work in artificial intelligence, responsible technology development, and thought leadership. The honors include the BIG Innovation Award from the Business Intelligence Group, Outstanding Organization in Responsible AI from the Responsible AI Institute's RAISE Awards, and Thought Leadership Campaign of the Year from the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service.

CNT Foundations Announces 10,000th Project

CNT Foundations, a foundation repair company based in Charleston, South Carolina, announced a major accomplishment of 10,000 successful projects. Having supported the community for over 25 years, the company has gained a reputation for reliable services and high-quality work. Over the years, CNT Foundations has addressed every foundation issue, from minor cracks to major structural damage. With each project, they have harnessed their deep knowledge in handling unique foundation challenges faced by South Carolina homeowners.

Johns Island Becoming a Top Luxury Real Estate Market in South Carolina

Forecasts for 2026 indicate that while appreciation may moderate, demand for well-located, high-quality luxury homes remains strong. According to Pam Harrington Exclusives Real Estate: Luxury home sales on Johns Island priced above $2 million increased 18 percent year-over year; and the average luxury sales price increased by 11 percent during the same period. The data underscores sustained buyer confidence in the island's high-end segment despite broader national market fluctuations.

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Rater8 Announces Winners of the 2025 Practice Excellence Awards

Rater8, a leader in health care reputation management, has announced the recipients of the 2025 Practice Excellence Awards. Recognizing top performers in patient satisfaction across categories such as practices size, doctors, advanced practitioners, and office staff, winners were selected based on the highest overall patient review ratings collected by rater8 in 2025. The two South Carolina winners and their categories were: Highest Rated Doctor: Daniel Wartinbee, M.D., South Carolina Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center, North Charleston; and Highest Rated Advanced Practitioner: Anna Cate Jeffries, PA-C, Charleston Dermatology, Charleston.