Combs Wholesale Produce builds new headquarters in North Carolina

Combs Wholesale Produce Co. is moving to a larger space to capitalize on expanding product lines and customer base.

The 40,000-square-foot facility in Winston-Salem, N.C., being constructed by A M King, is set for completion by April, according to a news release.

The full-service fresh produce distributor was founded in 1945, and customers include wholesalers, foodservice operators, grocery stores and other retailers in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

It has outgrown its current facility, built in 1978, and the owners wanted a facility that would allow for future growth, according to the release. The company stocks more than 1,500 different local, regional and international products throughout the year.

“Our current facility was built to sort and store tomatoes,” Ben Combs, vice president, said in the release. “As our customer base has changed, volume increased and we added additional products, we quickly ran out of room to handle the increased demand.”

The new facility is within the Winston-Salem city limits, on almost 11 acres. Although design on the building started in the spring as the COVID-19 pandemic started, A M King continued to collaborate with Combs Wholesale Produce via frequent online meetings, according to the release.

Elements of the facility include a unique conditioned dock to display and sell fresh produce to the public. Consumers can back up to drive-through doors off the parking lot for easy loading. Sanitary design measures include slot drains and sloped floors to eliminate standing water, according to the release.

“As the majority of the facility is perishable, this is exactly the type of project that showcases our design-build expertise of food processing and food distribution facilities,” according to A M King, in the release.

“My father, Benny, and I have been pleased with the entire process so far,” Ben Combs said in the release. “From initial meetings to concerns about layout and city regulations to coordination with third-party vendors, the A M King team has been communicative and great to work with through all challenges, including COVID-19.”