A family-owned company recently opened a distribution center to handle strawberries and other produce from farms on domestic and foreign soil.
More than 100 people, including growers and retailers that conduct business with SunnyRidge Farm, were on hand for the Dec. 10 ceremony to mark the opening of the company's center at 1702 Jim Johnson Road.
The evening began with a welcome from SunnyRidge Farm's president and CEO, Keith Mixon, followed by the official ribbon cutting with the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce. The grand opening included refreshments and a tour of the more than 51,000-square-foot facility, including the packing line, blast chiller rooms and more.
The company is entering its second year in the strawberry business and opened in a building that formerly housed Bud's Poultry. SunnyRidge extensively remodeled the building, which will be the primary distribution center for not only strawberries but other produce, company spokeswoman Heather Forshee said.
The Winter Haven-based company's holdings include strawberry fields in Plant City and farms in Zolfo Springs, Haines City, Georgia, Michigan, Canada and beyond, Forshee said.
The Plant City center will handle Florida blueberries as well as berries from Mexico, Argentina and Chile.
"The new building is an exciting step for SunnyRidge Farm," Mixon said in a statement. "As we enter our second year in Florida strawberries, this building will be a key facility in the continued growth of our company in strawberries as well as our other berry commodities. This facility will nearly triple our capacity and fits nicely with SunnyRidge Farm's five year growth strategy."
SunnyRidge Farm, family owned and operated since 1993, is a grower, packer and shipper of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries.
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