Index Fresh Reports Steady Progress at its Pharr Facility Since Opening in January
RIVERSIDE, CA - After breaking ground on its 60,000-square-foot ripening, packing, and distribution center just over a year ago and opening it up for business on January 9, 2018, Index Fresh’s Pharr, Texas-based facility is enjoying steady progress as it supports the company’s operations across the United States.
“Mexico is a year-round source and we bring all of our Mexican products through Pharr. It’s an integral part of our operation. We use it for staging, for shipping loads into the Midwest, Northeast, and the West. It’s working really well. We’ve got a great crew down there and we’re pleased,” said President and CEO Dana Thomas.
VP of Operations Santiago Pacheco added, "Our Texas facility is strategically located to better serve our customers with the increase in supply chain capabilities.”
Complementing other Index Fresh facilities, the Pharr ripening, packing, and distribution center has helped the company to be more efficient in its operations thanks to its equipment of 2,600 pallet positions, 10 ripening rooms, and three bagging machines.
“The bagging and repacking in the facility have increased in the last few months. Our ripening process has been successfully implemented meeting our customer’s needs and expectations. What I am most excited about since operations started is—my team. It’s a high-performance team that is experienced and self-motivated, and they are doing an excellent job,” said Manrique Palacios, Distribution Center Manager of the Pharr facility.
According to a press release, since Index Fresh is the first occupant in the Pharr Produce Park, the company has spurred construction for other facilities, which is a big step for Pharr’s economic development. Additionally, the facility has been a great way for Index Fresh to expand its Mexican program this year.
“We are expecting our second Mexican season and to complete our first year of operations. We are performing an analysis to enhance our bagging capacity for the next season and working on business development to expand our ripening volume in Texas and the Midwest,” Palacios continued. “We are also open to offering 3PL services that include storage, ripening, bagging, and distribution to potential customers.”
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