(CHARLOTTE) -- Chiquita Brands International is moving its headquarters to North Carolina from Ohio, attracted by state incentives that could exceed $24 million. Gov. Bev Perdue made the announcement on Tuesday and said the move will bring around 400 high-paying jobs to the Queen City as part of an investment of around $14 million.

"Jobs and investment and innovation and entrepreneurship, that in my mind is what Charlotte is about and what North Carolina is about and it surely is what Chiquita is about," said Perdue.

State and local officials have been working to bring Chiquita to Charlotte from Cincinnati for months. Chiquita will offer employees in Ohio the opportunity to relocate, so it is not certain how many North Carolinians will have an opportunity to work at the new headquarters.

North Carolina was competing with Ohio, Florida and Louisiana for the Chiquita headquarters.