Mission Produce to open UK packing house in 2023
Mission Produce, an Oxnard-based avocado and mango distributor, announced Sept. 20 that it will open a ripening, packing and distribution center near London in 2023.
Mission’s first facility in the United Kingdom will be in Dartford, England, near the country’s largest ports, airports and highways. The 102,000-square-foot building will be “sustainability-focused,” Mission said in a news release, with solar panels and rainwater harvesting.
The new facility will process fruit from Mission growers in South Africa, Peru, Colombia and Guatemala and distribute it across Europe year-round, Mission said in its news release.
The packing and distribution center “is a world-class facility designed to streamline operations while delivering a cost-effective model,” Mission CEO Steve Barnard said. “This milestone represents a significant opportunity for our business and enhances our ability to drive global avocado consumption as we accelerate our reach in the European market.”
The new facility will be the first to feature Mission’s “Mission Control” ripening room technology, which uses a specialized atmosphere control process to create the optimal ripening environment. It will also have the company’s latest technology for grading fruit and testing ripeness, which together can reduce handling times and minimize fruit damage, Mission said.
