Pride Pak to open fruit and vegetable processing facility in New York

Canadian fruit and vegetable processor Pride Pak is building a new fresh fruit and vegetable process…

Canadian fruit and vegetable processor Pride Pak is building a new fresh fruit and vegetable processing facility in Orleans County in Medina, New York.

Located in the 13 acre Medina Business Park, the new 68,000 ft2 facility will be a $20m operation that would include advanced technological infrastructure and equipment in order to serve the US customers better.

The new facility is expected to create 200 new jobs. Currently, Pride Pak exports 35% of its produce to the US markets. The company exports fresh-cut, un-frozen vegetables to companies such as Wegman.

The new processing facility will collaborate with local vegetable-growing farmers who cultivate carrots, root vegetables in order to make packaged salads, with some of the salads going to its Canadian customers. Pride Pak hopes to produce around 45 truckloads of products every month.

The company will deliver around 220 tons of vegetable waste every month to local livestock farms for use as animal feed and fertilizer. The Median plant construction is expected to be completed in early 2016. The facility is likely to become operational in June 2016.

For the development, the New York state has provided $2m in Excelsior tax credits under its Empire State Development program. The New York State Office of Homes and Community Renewal has also awarded a $750,000 worth of grant towards the facility development. The New York Power Authority is also allocating low-cost hydropower in exchange for job and capital investment commitments.

New York State Governor Cuomo said: "This company will not only bring new jobs to the regions, but will also bolster local farmers and help attract other businesses to the area by being the anchor to this new commerce hub. Today's action is more exciting news for the Finger Lakes."

Pride Pak CEO Steve Karr said: "Pride Pak is very much looking forward to this collaboration with Orleans County. This is a mutually beneficial opportunity; Pride Pak is expanding its business and moving closer to its customer base, while Orleans County can count on a positive impact on its economy."