Index Fresh, Riverside, Calif., opened the doors to its new avocado distribution facility located in Pharr, Texas. This facility will help expand Index Fresh’s growing market presence both in the United States and Mexico.

Index Fresh tapped Tippmann Innovation (Ti), Fort Wayne, Ind., to construct the 60,000-plus-square-foot building. The fully expandable, state-of-the-art plant allows for ripening, storage and distribution under one roof. The multi-temperature facility also boasts varying temperature zones to accommodate fresh perishables.

The new Index Fresh facility is situated in the city-backed Pharr Produce Park, with close access to the border.

"We chose Tippmann after putting the bid out to three companies," says Dana Thomas, president of Index Fresh. "They were not the least expensive, but they were competitive, and I had a comfort level with them. Tippmann Innovation specializes in this type of facility, and after having the opportunity to visit some of their other facilities they built, I knew they were the guys we wanted to go with. Along the way, Tippmann Innovation delivered on everything they said they would do."

The year-long project was first announced in May 2017.