<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;line-height:130%">Kingsburg, CA</span><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">By Eric Anderson<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">3.19.13</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/homegrown-kingsburg-banner-2.jpg" alt="Images 031913" />Homegrown Organic Farms has announced that it has purchased a new facility in Kingsburg, CA to consolidate all Homegrown shipping and packing operations for fruit originating in the San Joaquin Valley. The Homegrown Arvin facility near Bakersfield will continue to operate as a commercial cold storage, offering services to businesses in need of cold storage and shipping operations in the Bakersfield area.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The facility occupies 28 acres at a location which will enhance logistical efficiencies and improve customer service through ease of access for transportation. It boats over 50,000 square-feet of cold storage space and 37,500 square-feet of pack line area. The 50,000 square-feet of refrigerated space is separated across three structures that total five independent rooms, according to a release.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The cold storage space will allow customers an opportunity to help manage their organic programs. It will be outfitted with ozonation and controlled atmosphere storage to accomodate specific timeframes and commodities.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The new pack line will be operational for the start of the tree fruit season. It will feature the latest in post-harvest organic controls such as ozonation drench technology. Stonefruit as well as sensitive citrus varietals will be handled in totes to reduce unnecessary pressure on the fruit.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> CEO Scott Mabs commented on the reasons behind the purchase: “There are three specific reasons – people, efficiency, and growth. A big part of this decision was made to help solidify and improve the livelihood of the people that we employ in our packing operations. Seasonal work is difficult to manage for us and our team members. This facility will allow us to provide year-round work for our packing team members which will improve their lives and the people that depend on them. Secondly, significant efficiencies in energy and resource management will be realized by consolidating packing, cooling, quality control, and shipping under one roof. And last but not least is the reality of our coming growth. Our development in blueberries, citrus, and tree fruit over the next five years demands a change. We know this will have a marked impact on our business and our customers. We are excited about what the future holds for Homegrown and our valued team members.”</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Jeremy Basich will serve as General Manager for the new facility. He has an extensive background in retail and wholesale, having been farm-raised inside the Costco fresh foods system. For the last 7 years he has worked multiple projects most recently as the Director of Marketing for private food brokerage firms like NPE and Premiere Pacific Trading. As General Manager of the Homegrown Organic Farms’ Kingsburg and Arvin facilities, Jeremy’s focus will be on building a team that is second to none in serving its customers and operating the facility in an economically and socially sustainable manner.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.hgofarms.com/" target="_new">Homegrown Organic Farms </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
