Sirna expansion includes fresh-cut operation

Sirna & Sons Produce expects to complete a 50,000-square-foot addition to its Ravenna, Ohio, headquarters this summer. The upgrade already is paying dividends in the form of a new processing business, which started operations in late May.

Six thousand square feet of the expansion is dedicated to Christine’s Cuts, a fresh-cut operation named in memory of the mother of company officers Tom Sirna, Vince Sirna and Serena Sirna-Wagner.

“We are currently starting in a slow way,” Sirna & Sons president Tom Sirna said. “Our ultimate goal is great quality items.”

The processing company will function as a separate company, and Sirna-Wagner is the primary owner, Tom Sirna said. He said that’s noteworthy because many customers want to support minority- and woman-owned businesses.

Sirna said the processing facility is kosher-certified and will focus primarily on servicing foodservice accounts.

The Sirnas have added additional staff for the processing facility, including manager Dan Wilson, who previously worked at Modern Food Processors, Cleveland.

Sirna & Sons also hired sales director Dan Arredondo (previously of Costa Produce, Cincinnati) and Tony Zegunis as a salesman for the Columbus market. Zegunis’ previous sales experience includes Blue Ribbon Meats, Cleveland, and Sysco Cleveland. Sirna said the new employees will help the company grow into the expanded facility.

Construction initially had been expected to be completed last winter.

“Right before the project started we decided to add solar panels across the entire roof as well as the processing part of the business,” Sirna said. “The design and build-out took additional months.”

Solar energy is supplying 35% of the company’s energy, he said.

Another feature is LED lighting with motion sensors throughout the new addition.

“The initial investment was a bit more than a traditional lighting scheme, but the (return on investment) will be extremely progressive and the conservation of energy is huge for a facility that is in use 24/7,” Sirna said.

The expansion doubles the company’s warehouse space. The expanded storage area has the capacity to rack product three pallets high, compared to two pallets in the company’s existing warehouse space.

Other features of the expansion include:

•  state-of-the-art dock doors;
•  3,000 square feet of freezer space;
•  1,650 square feet for repacking;
•  additional office space; and
•  a truck pull-off lane and a gated entrance to meet bioterrorism regulations.