Fresh Select LLC aims to hire 341 in new tax credit program
Fresh Select LLC aims to hire 341 in new tax credit program
A Dinuba, CA-based packinghouse and cold-storage company is in line for the new California Competes Tax Credit, one of 31 companies across the state selected to participate in the new program.
Fresh Select LLC is the only Central Valley company in the running for $500,000 out of a total of about $30 million in tax credits available. A committee is scheduled to vote June 19 in Sacramento on the first round of tax credits.
As part of the tax credit agreement, Fresh Select plans to significantly ramp up employment, with a base of 11 full-time employees last year, 22 this year and up to 352 through the 2018 tax year.
“We are very excited to be selected to participate in this program and be able to provide more jobs locally as well as continue to improve our facility and processes to provide the highest level of service to our customers and growers,” the company said in a statement.
Fresh Select currently employs up to 250 employees during peak seasons and packs up to 1,000 bins a day in a single shift. That would include nearly $6 million in company investments through 2018, which is the tax credit period. As part of the tax credit agreement, Fresh Select would increase operations with the purchase of new equipment.
Fresh Select packs citrus, including easy-peelers, as well as tree fruit, pomegranates and Asian pears for global distribution. In the last two years alone, the company has installed a new Maf Sizer with Global Scan for frost separation, defect sorting and color sorting as well as soft goose neck bin fillers that are gentle enough for apples. New Giro baggers were also installed to meet retail demands.
Other improvements have been made to the state-of-the-art facility to be more energy efficient. The facility is equipped with ozone in cold storage and the refrigerated loading dock for decay control. The facility also has multiple de-greening/ripening rooms.
Fresh Select offers a full-service program which includes trucking both from the field to final destination or to the ports in California.
