Fresh-cut processor Pearson Foods expands

Fresh-cut processor Pearson Foods Corp., Grand Rapids, Mich., has completed an expansion, and plans to add more fresh-cut space later this month.

The recent construction included the purchase and integration of a 20,000-square-foot adjacent property and adding more than 600 pallet positions through a drive-in racking system, according to a news release. On top of that, the $1.5 million project expanded food production space.

The property, on Ken O Sha Industrial Park Drive in southeast Grand Rapids will be remodeled for office space and a test kitchen, according to the release.

And finally, the company plans to open a 12,000-square-foot fresh-cut processing area this month.

“The expansion of our facility offers us the ability to better serve our core customers with the service, fulfillment and quality they expect,” Eric Pearson, president, said in the release. “It also positions us for growth by increasing efficiencies, improving quality control and allowing us to expand our value-added offerings.”

Pearson said local and regional fresh-cut demand is strong due to rising transportation costs, labor shortages and a focus on shrink management.

“The freshness and shelf life gained from minimal transit time, custom designed products with lower case packs and being able to place orders with us until noon each day for next-day delivery truly sets Pearson Foods apart from most national and source-processors,” he said in the release.

In the past several years, Pearson Foods invested in three new processing and packaging lines, and the facility’s operation focuses on sustainability, with energy-efficient equipment and water conservation efforts.

By 2020, the company plans to add 20,000 square feet of dock and warehouse space and automate certain processes to increase efficiency and traceability, according to the release.