Gills Onions acquires new packing and cooling facility
Gills Onions acquires new packing and cooling facility
Gills Onions has completed the purchase of a 200,000-square-foot packing and cold storage facility in San Joaquin, CA, that will supplement onion production at its Oxnard, CA, headquarters location.
Located 35 miles west of Fresno and in close proximity to Gills' major onion growing production in the San Joaquin Valley, the newly purchased facility will be used primarily for industrial products, including whole, peeled and diced onion production. The facility is scheduled to begin operations in September of this year, with budget and related planning currently being analyzed.
"The addition of this facility will enable us to better serve our industrial customer base, while continuing our growth in the retail and foodservice business," Neila Alamo, director of sales and marketing for Gills Onions, said in a press release. "We anticipate volume running through the new facility to match that of our Oxnard location in the years to come."
Strong support from local officials will help reap significant benefits for the entire community, Ms. Alamo continued in the release. "We anticipate the creation of approximately 100 jobs once the facility is up and running under Gills Onions. Sixty employees will be hired by Rio Farms [sister company and grower for Gills Onions] in June for the grading and sizing lines. As our overall business continues to grow, we look forward to being a vital and active member of the community by providing an excellent working environment while creating job opportunities," she said.
Additionally, the new facility complements Gills Onions' increased focus on sustainability, the release said. "The proximity to a large onion-growing region allows us to peel and dice onions close to where they are grown. This will help us reduce freight costs hauling onions to our headquarters facility, while minimizing our overall impact on the environment," Ms. Alamo said.
Located 35 miles west of Fresno and in close proximity to Gills' major onion growing production in the San Joaquin Valley, the newly purchased facility will be used primarily for industrial products, including whole, peeled and diced onion production. The facility is scheduled to begin operations in September of this year, with budget and related planning currently being analyzed.
"The addition of this facility will enable us to better serve our industrial customer base, while continuing our growth in the retail and foodservice business," Neila Alamo, director of sales and marketing for Gills Onions, said in a press release. "We anticipate volume running through the new facility to match that of our Oxnard location in the years to come."
Strong support from local officials will help reap significant benefits for the entire community, Ms. Alamo continued in the release. "We anticipate the creation of approximately 100 jobs once the facility is up and running under Gills Onions. Sixty employees will be hired by Rio Farms [sister company and grower for Gills Onions] in June for the grading and sizing lines. As our overall business continues to grow, we look forward to being a vital and active member of the community by providing an excellent working environment while creating job opportunities," she said.
Additionally, the new facility complements Gills Onions' increased focus on sustainability, the release said. "The proximity to a large onion-growing region allows us to peel and dice onions close to where they are grown. This will help us reduce freight costs hauling onions to our headquarters facility, while minimizing our overall impact on the environment," Ms. Alamo said.
