David Murdock, the chairman and former owner of Dole Foods, is a big believer in the power of fruits and vegetables and has frequently said he hopes to live until 125. Murdock’s passion for nutrition led him to invest $700 million to build the North Carolina Research Campus, which sits on 350-acres in Kannapolis.
Unveiled in 2005, the research facility currently employs about 470 people focused on how health, nutrition and agriculture intersect. Through the center, approximately 12,000 North Carolina residents are taking part in a study to explore how older adults can live longer. Led by scientists at Duke University, the MURDOCK Study is one of the largest medical studies in a single U.S. community.