Higueral Produce to build new warehouse and office facility in 2016
Higueral Produce to build new warehouse and office facility in 2016
rio rico, az — In mid- to late spring, construction will begin on a new office and warehouse facility for Higueral Produce.
Edgar Duarte, a partner in the firm, said the 300-foot-by-300-foot construction site is essentially the last construction spot available in the Rio Rico industrial park, which is filled with produce companies. Duarte said this will be a green facility, incorporating solar panels, water capture and all LED-lighting.
Carlos Villa and Edgar Duarte, partners in Higueral Produce Inc., stand on a construction site in Rio Rico, AZ, where their new warehouse will be built this year. Construction of the 20,000-square-foot facility will begin this spring.By October, Higueral Produce Inc. will be operating from a new Rio Rico office and warehouse facility. Preliminary plans call for 15,000 square feet of cold storage and about 5,000 square feet of office space. The firm expects to offer in-and-out services to other distributors as well as for its own Mexican produce shipping business.
Duarte and his partner Carlos Villa are heading the project. Villa’s brother, David, is also a partner in the firm. David Villa works with Mexican growers to source for the distribution company, which opened in 2006. The company handles around 1,000 loads of produce a year.
On the shipping side hot peppers are the primary wintertime items shipped, according to Duarte. The chili deal begins in mid-November and runs into late June. The firm’s pepper category includes tomatillos.
Higueral is also a Mexican mango shipper, with those supplies expected to begin in mid-February.
Higueral also handles Mexican limes and lesser volumes of pickles, Roma tomatoes and sweet corn.
Higueral ships the Del Rio mango brand and for vegetables, the Villanos and Higueral brands.
