JD Food Expands Into New, State-Of-The-Art 65,000 Sq. Ft. Facility With Major Growth In Mind

FRESNO, CALIFORNIA – Independent, family-owned food distributor, JD Food officially opened its new 65,000 sq. ft. distribution center in Southeast Fresno, part of a multi-phase expansion plan that will add more than 144 employees, bringing its total workforce to 288 employees by 2025. Over the past six years, the company has tripled in size, a growth pattern that is poised to continue as the food distribution company focuses its attention on growing its client base and signature locally-owned, farm to table food sourcing. 

The expansion move which is focused on the growth of JD Food additionally accommodates the continued growth of its affiliated company, Certified Meat Products, by allowing it to expand into the existing 52,000 sq. ft. processing and distribution center also located in Southeast Fresno. 

“Today marks an important step towards increasing our distribution footprint to the north and south, permitting our third generation, family-run company to better address the unique service needs of regional accounts throughout California. Our new state-of-the-art facility could not be located in a more ideal location for distributing to California and offers our team the added space needed to nurture and grow our existing customer base,” stated Mark Ford, President of JD Food.  

The new distribution center features state-of-the-art technologies as it relates to climate control, docking systems and energy-efficient power systems. Additionally, JD Food has acquired The Print District, who will operate out of the new facility to provide graphic design and printing needs exclusively for JD Food clients.

The official opening of the new 65,000 sq. ft. distribution center was marked by a ribbon cutting and formal dedication in front of over 100 attendees who joined Mark Ford, President of JD Food and Jimmy Maxey, Chairman of Certified Meat Products, including the City of Fresno Mayor, Lee Brand; City of Fresno Economic Development Director, Larry Westerlund; and City of Fresno Director of Strategic Initiatives, H. Spees, along with JD Food employees, family members, suppliers and nonprofit leaders.

The dedication of JD Food’s state-of-the-art facility was the culmination of more than two years of work established as a collaborative agreement with the City of Fresno that includes a minimum development investment of $10.5 million and supports job creation of over 144 employees over the next 10 years. 

“We are thrilled to have our expanded facility up and running in Fresno, a place that we have always called home.  On behalf of the entire JD Food family – we are grateful to the City of Fresno for their commitment to local business and for their unwavering support throughout the development process,” said Ford.  “This expansion will create much opportunity in the Valley and beyond, as we grow our commitment to discover independent, local food companies and expand their distribution footprint.”

JD Food is a longtime supporter of the Fresno Food Expo, an economic development and food celebration movement born out of a collaboration with the City of Fresno to increase economic growth and elevate the profile of the Valley’s food industry as a whole. JD Food is not only focused on supporting independent, locally-owned food companies, but it is heavily committed to reinvesting in the community through its nonprofit work. From serving on nonprofit boards to giving monetarily to encouraging employees to get involved and volunteer, JD Food has prided itself on creating a company culture that gives back to the community they work and live in. This giving spirit and community involvement was reflected in the variety of nonprofits represented at the dedication and ribbon cutting, including CASA, Neighborhood Industries, Off The Front and the Fresno Rescue Mission, among others.

About JD Food:

JD Food is an independent, family-owned, food distributor based in the agricultural heart of California. JD Food distributes more than 5,000 products from more than 250 suppliers comprised of national brands, as well as independent, locally-owned labels. Its programs and products include Fresh “Cut to Order” Meat; Fresh and Frozen Boxed Beef, Poultry, Pork and Lamb; Full Service, Beverage and Chemical Department; Frozen, canned and Paper Products.  The JD Food distribution footprint stretches from Sacramento down to Bakersfield, west to the California’s Central Coast and east to the Sierras. JD Food is a member of UNIPRO Foodservice Distributors of America, the largest food service cooperative in the world. JD Food is a third generation, family-owned and operated company led by the Maxey and Ford families. The company is widely known as the fresh, local and honest food choice. For more information go to www.jdfood.com.

About Certified Meat Products:

Certified Meat Products is a “Center of the Plate” USDA processing company serving retail, foodservice and wholesale manufacturing not only in California, but throughout the nation.  The company’s product mix includes: Retail, Case-Ready Proteins; Custom Trimmed Cuts and Grinds for Manufacturing Use; and Restaurant Quality Cuts of Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork and Chicken. Certified Meat Products originated in 1954 when Louis James Maxey started a meat processing company in Fresno, California. As the business continued to grow, the Maxey family was instrumental in developing other companies that would allow complete vertical control from the farm to the table. From livestock development to harvesting to manufacturing to further processing to distribution, the family of companies had tremendous depth and knowledge and became a leading figure in the meat industry. Certified Meat Products is currently run by the third generation of the Maxey Family.

Source: JD Food