Muhammad Ali was not the only heavy hitter who to call Louisville home. Some of the biggest names in business are headquartered here: Humana, Yum!, Kindred Healthcare, Brown-Forman, UPS Airlines, Papa John’s, GE Appliances and more.
Louisville has the largest concentration of aging-care headquarters in the nation as well as the headquarters of some of the world’s largest restaurant and beverage operations. It has a growing business-services sector focused on information technology, and the city leads the way in advanced manufacturing and logistics.
Businesses prosper in Louisville. With its pro-business attitude, low cost of operations and low taxes, the Greater Louisville region offers a supportive and progressive climate for business. The region’s diversified economy has outperformed the U.S. in job and income growth on a per capita basis throughout the last decade.
Site Selection magazine in 2021 ranked Louisville among the top metropolitan areas in both the East North Central (seventh) and South Central (sixth) regions. Rankings are based on the number of new economic development projects brought to the metropolitan area in a calendar year. Last year, Louisville located 41 projects, adding 2,200 new jobs and $474 million in new investment to the city.
Since 2014, Louisville has experienced more than $17 billion in investments.
“Rising in these rankings during a pandemic is evidence of the core strength of our economy,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “It validates the intentional work we are doing around our business clusters, which is growing jobs.”
Below is a sampling of some of the companies that are headquartered in the region:
21c Museum Hotels Hotels management
AAF International Filters, air and gas manufacturers
Air Hydro Power Industrial equipment supplier
Allied Ready Mix Co. Concrete
Atria Senior Living Facilities management
AxisPoint Alliance Concierge shipping, centralized technology platform, warehousing and logistics
Baptist Health Health care management
Bearno’s Pizza Pizza franchise
Blumine Health Concierge health services company
Bright Spring Health Home health services
Chrysalis Ventures Venture capital companies
Churchill Downs Inc. Horse racing, wagering, gaming
Clarendon Flavors R&D and production of flavorings for specialty beverage marketers
Copper and Kings American Brandy Co. Distillery; brandy and other alcoholic products
Commonwealth Bank & Trust Banking
Creation Gardens Meat processing and food service distribution
CreoSalus Inc. Pharmaceutical research and manufacturing
Delta Dental Dental insurance company
EdJAnalytics Data science; tech services firm
El Toro Targeted internet marketing
Elmcroft Senior Living Senior residential services
Farm Credit Mid-America Agriculture lender
Fives Intralogistics Corp. Conveyor equipment
Generation Tux Formal wear suppliers
Genscape Information and referral services
Haier U.S. Appliances Solutions – GE Appliances Household appliances
Heaven Hill Distilleries (Bardstown) Distilled spirits bottling
Heine Bros. Coffee Fair trade and organic coffee roaster
Icap Energy Petroleum products wholesaler
Industrial Kiln & Dryer Rotary dryers, kilns, ball mills, and processing equipment
Interapt Software development and IT training
Kindred Healthcare Health care management
Koch Filter Corp. Air filters, bags and cartridges
Koligo Therapeutics Develops, manufactures, commercializes cell therapies for pancreatic disease
Landmark Recovery Addiction treatment centers
Liquor Stores North America Retail management
LJS Partners Long John Silver’s restaurants
Louisville Ladder Wholesale distribution of ladders and related climbing products
Louisville Paving and Construction Asphalt products
Lucina Health Software development, analytics
Management Registry Professional staffing agencies
Moby Dick Commissary Inc. Restaurant supplies; commissary
Office Resources Inc. Office furniture
Papa John’s International Pizza franchise
Parallel Products of Kentucky Industrial organic products
Parts Unlimited Interior (La Grange) Manufacture/warehouse interior auto parts
Roll Forming Corp. (Shelbyville) Design and production of roll formed products
Safai Enterprises Roaster, packager, distributor of specialty coffee
Samtec (New Albany, Ind.) Cables and connectors manufacturer
SGS International Global commercial printing company
Signature Health Care Nursing and convalescent care
Sypris Solutions Electronic equipment and supplies
Turning Point Brands Tobacco and alternative smoking products
Waystar Health Medical records service
Yum! Brands Parent company of KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, The Habit Burger Grill
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