Nickey Gregory Co. expands, celebrates 20 years
Atlanta, Ga., produce wholesale distributor and processor Nickey Gregory Co., which is celebrating its 20th year in business in January, is on the move.
Andrew Scott, director of marketing and business development, said the company will soon move into a new building at the Atlanta State Farmers Market that will double the size for the company’s wholesale division.
The company is renovating a building that used to house General Produce, with completion expected in mid-February.
“We are in three buildings now in the Atlanta market, and we are moving into one,” said Scott, noting that refurbished building will have 105,000 square feet compared with the 55,000 square feet the company’s wholesale division had before the move.
The new building will bring greater efficiencies, Scott said. Nickey Gregory Co. will continue to operate a separate fresh-cut facility at the market, the Family Fresh Foods processing division. That business started about two years ago.
“(The processed division) has been really ramping up with business and we are adding employees to that part of the business,” Scott said.
Nickey Gregory Co. investments in the processing facility includes machinery, staff and food safety, he said. The company has four food safety employees, compared to one several years ago, Scott said.
Todd Phillips, who worked for Taylor Farms for 20 years, leads the processing division. His son, Zach Phillips, who was at Taylor Farms Orlando (Fla.), also works in Nickey Gregory Co.’s processing division.
The company specializes in serving foodservice broadliners in a 10-state region.
“Being the wholesaler, you want to (offer) everything you can, including processed produce,” Scott said, noting that retail sales are also growing for the company.
Scott said the company is reaping the benefits of a warehouse in White Springs, Fla., about 60 miles west of Jacksonville. It opened in September, and serves mainly as a cross-dock redistribution facility and helps the company comply with hours of service regulations for drivers.
“It is definitely helping with finding drivers and (satisfying) hours of service law,” he said. “We can go there and back from Atlanta within 12 hours. So that helps with hours of service.”
For produce leaving Atlanta, the company has hired several husband-wife drivers to drive long-haul routes, such as to Virgina and Louisiana.
