Mission Produce completes successful seasons in California and Peru
Mission Produce completes successful seasons in California and Peru
Earlier this spring, Oxnard, CA-based Mission Produce opened new packing facilities in California and Peru, marking upgrades in the company’s ability to serve its global customer base. The Oxnard plant was recognized as the largest avocado packing facility in the world — until the Peru plant opened just 30 days later.
Mission's new plant in Chao, Peru, measures in at nearly 280,000 square feet.
In Oxnard, Mission christened a 230,000-square-foot facility, moving from the previous 58,000-square-foot plant it operated since 1983. “We really needed the additional production and storage capacity," Steve Barnard, president and chief executive officer, said in a press release. "It is a huge upgrade in speed and efficiency, and gives us much more cold storage and loading dock capacity.
“We transitioned from the old facility early in the California season, and were 100 percent moved over by July,” he added. “We continue to make off-season changes, including adding hydro-coolers, and streamlining our process.”
Within 30 days of opening of the California facility, Mission opened its new plant in Chao, Peru. At nearly 280,000 square feet, the Peru plant is bigger than the Oxnard plant. Construction of the facility began in early 2014 and was completed in time to begin production in May 2015.
According to Brian Miller, senior vice president of sales and marketing, both California and Peru were positive seasons for the company. “We were able to seamlessly open both packinghouses within a month of one another," he said. "Both new facilities give us the ability to diversify packs, improve product handling and cold-chain management, and set the stage for future growth."
Barnard added, “Growing in California and being fully vertically integrated in Peru are big parts of our global strategic vision."
