Toughkenamon, PA. — Country Fresh Mushroom Co., a leading supplier of fresh mushrooms since 1925, announced today that it has moved into a newly constructed facility to accommodate its expanding production requirements. The 60,000-square-foot plant and office building located in Toughkenamon, PA is among the five largest mushroom processing facilities in North America and houses a state-of-the-art operation.
The new facility provides Country Fresh with 50 percent more space than its former location in Avondale, PA where the company had been operating at maximum capacity. However, the move is about more than added space. "We saw this as an opportunity to apply the very latest technologies and processing innovations to everything that we've learned about quality, safety, and efficiency in nearly 90 years of business," says Edward Leo, Chairman and CEO. "For example, we've been able to incorporate food safety features right into the building's design and to accommodate our quality assurance steps in a very smooth production flow."
Noteworthy innovations in the new space and installations include:
- An efficient layout for production efficiency
- Increased refrigeration capacity with advanced control systems
- An expanded lab to support Quality Assurance and Product Development
- Water conservation methods that cut consumption by more than 40 percent
- Increased cooler space dedicated to other fresh produce items
Jim Howard, President and COO, notes, "Every design specification was made to support the product quality and freshness our customers have come to expect. We maintain Level 3 certification under the stringent SQF 2000
Standard and so adhere to one of the industry's most rigorous food safety and quality programs. This new facility will make delivering against those standards easier throughout our inspection, packing, and shipping steps."
Bob Besix, Sr. VP of Sales & Marketing, adds, “The dedicated cold storage space in the new facility also expands our capacity to offer other fresh produce items that complement our mushrooms, and allows us to continue expanding the outside freight services that we offer through our subsidiary, CF Logistics.”
Approximately 150 employees work in the building, which incorporates the highest occupational safety measures. Leo credits CH&E Construction from Lancaster, PA with making the year-long construction process go smoothly, completing the building on-time and within-budget. "They are superb builders and were very attentive to our needs throughout," he said.
About Country Fresh Mushroom:
Country Fresh Mushroom Co. is the only fresh mushroom supplier in the U.S. that operates as a co-operative of independent farms. Country Fresh and its dedicated group of growers have been growing top-quality mushrooms since 1925. Today, we are one of the nation’s most trusted mushroom suppliers, delivering fresh mushrooms to a diverse customer base throughout the United States. More information is available at http://www.cfmushroom.com.
Source: Country Fresh Mushroom
