Heeren Bros. Inc., one of Michigan's larger family-owned wholesalers, marketers and distributors of fresh fruits and vegetables, announced it will break ground on a new $22 million state-of-the-art facility in Alpine Township this month.

The new 170,000-square-foot, LEED-anticipated facility will house the company's corporate headquarters, warehouse and distribution center, and apple storage and packing facility with new apple grading and packinglines. TAn artist’s depiction of Heeren Bros. Inc.’s new 170,000-square-foot facility, which is expected to be completed in August 2013.he complex is expected to be completed in August 2013 and will go live as next year's apple packing season commences.

The current schedule for ground breaking is contingent on finalizing tax abatements and related issues with the township.

Through its subsidiaries and joint ventures, Heeren manages more than 1,500 acres of orchards and represents more than 75 family-owned Michigan grower operations. Heeren packs and sells more than 20 percent of all fresh apples grown in Michigan.

"We are incredibly pleased to expand and upgrade our operations and capabilities in western Michigan," Chief Executive Officer Hal Roy said in a statement. "The property in Alpine Township will allow us to consolidate operations while adding new technology designed to make us more labor efficient, become better compliant with the new food-safety standards and allow us to be a better steward of our natural resources."

Dixon Architecture designed the new facility, which will be built by First Companies. Both are based in western Michigan.

Heeren's storage capacity will be expanded by 19 percent and include 15 controlled-atmosphere rooms. Other improvements include multiple state-of-the-art apple packing and grading lines with color and defect-sorting as well as presort capabilities. Energy-saving refrigeration equipment and other energy-conscious features will enable Heeren to pursue LEED certification.

"The new facility is being designed with food safety and security first and foremost," Mr. Roy told The Produce News on Oct. 9. "We will be able to better comply with the new regulations that are presented to us almost every day."

For example, he said that Heeren will have heightened compliance with regulations and initiatives such as SQF 2000 and the Bio-Terrorism Act of 2002.

Asked how the expanded facility help to grow business for Heeren, Mr. Roy said, "On the apple packing side of the business, we believe that the new technology in the new grading equipment will allow us to better grade and sort product to the quality standards that are being requested by our customers. We will have additional [controlled atmosphere] storage capacity as well as grading capacity, allowing us the ability to pack more fruit for more customers."

Heeren plans to increase its business in the retail sector. "We are hoping that it will open additional doors because of our ability to provide the freshest product possible," Mr. Roy added. "The new facility will allow us to store product in its ideal environment that will keep it the freshest. Rooms will be separately maintained for temperature and moisture. In addition, food safety is an item that is a concern of every retailer."

John and Elmer Heeren founded the company in 1933, and Heeren Bros. has experienced steady growth since its inception. The second generation of Heerens joined their fathers in 1962, and the third generation assumed leadership roles in the late 1990s. Today, the fourth generation of Heerens has taken roles within the growing company.

In the mid-2000s, Heeren launched a series of subsidiaries and joint ventures - including All Fresh GPS, Ridgeking Apple Packing and Storage and Gourmet Specialty of Michigan - in a move to expand its product offerings and geographic reach.

In December 2006, Heeren acquired rival J.A. Besteman Co., creating the largest family-owned, full-line produce distributor in Michigan. The acquisition allowed Heeren to expand its distribution footprint throughout the Midwest and add national, regional and small independent grocers to its retail customer list.

In August 2011, Ridgeking joined forces with Michigan-based Applewood Orchards to create All Fresh GPS, which focuses exclusively on the marketing of Michigan apples.