Ocean Mist Farms has announced in a press statement that the company is expanding itsproduction facility, called Baja Mist, located in Mexico’s Mexicali Valley.
The move is designed to accommodate sales growth for the group’s year-round Mexican production programme, including green onions and Brussels sprouts, in operation since 2003.
“We wanted to design, develop, and construct a state-of-the-art green onion processing and cooling facility which integrated all aspects of food safety in an environment that allows us to create superior iceless products with extended shelf-life,” said Ocean Mist Farms production vice-president Troy Boutonnet.
“Our goal is to modernise our entire facility and all of its subsystems and practices in order to create the cleanest, safest products in their class.Expansion, coupled with modernisation is the starting line of our goals toward complete customer satisfaction.”
Aside from constructing new concrete and asphalt areas, as well as process water retention areas, Ocean Mist said it is improving more than 75,000ft of the property in some capacity.
Total square footage will be increased from the original 9,100ft2 to 17,710ft2, not including ancillary buildings which will contain ice-making, refrigeration equipment, chiller room and an office, which adds another 6,000ft2 to the project.
Additionally, a newly constructed receiving dock will prevent washed product crossing paths with inbound field totes, while two finished product shipping doors in the new coldstore will ensure that cooled product never breaks cold chain compliance during the truck loading process.
“We are very proud of what we have designed and look forward to showcasing the Baja Mist facility in Mexico to our customers once it is completed.” Mr Boutonnet concluded.
