American company opens new mega distribution center for avocado

Mission Produce Inc., one of the global producers and distributors of Hass avocado, opened its new $50 million mega distribution center in Laredo, Texas, the United States, which will funnel the avocado to the other distribution centers of the firm, positioning itself as a major hub for avocados coming from Mexico into the U.S.

“Mission’s Laredo facility is momentous for the company and the industry. With 10 state-of-the-art ripening rooms and over 81,000 square feet of storage space, we’re now the largest avocado FDC in North America, with enhanced access and value-added service throughout the U.S. This isn’t just important for avocados, but for all produce thanks to our C-TPAT certification and cold storage and packing capabilities.”, comments to Fructidor Steve Barnard, CEO & Founder, Mission Produce Inc.

C-TPAT is a United States Customs and Border Protection initiative that stands for Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism. [ed.note]

The facility is equipped with cutting-edge refrigeration, ripening rooms and pallet cooling capabilities, and is also capable of providing logistics services, cold storage, bagging operations and packing for external entities, which will provide the Company with additional income. 

Mission has already employed 70 new workers for this project and expects to reach 110 once at full capacity. The emergence of the facility has contributed to quick economic evolution in Laredo, as the area sees an inflow of business investments from the produce and cold storage industry. The total investment has reached approximately $120 million.

According to Barnard, opening this facility at one of the nation’s busiest ports will propel the industry forward.

For more information about Mission Produce Inc, see the website.