PHT is redeveloping its historic 28-Acre Growers Ice Pre-Cooling and Cold Storage campus into a 431,500 SF first mile logistics facility designed to support the movement of fresh produce across the Salinas Valley and Central California.
Opening for the 2026 Season
Our new facility will be the first dedicated fresh produce consolidation and shipping location in the Salinas Valley and will serve as a central distribution hub for companies sourcing produce and other perishable food from the region. By allowing for the consolidation of goods in one central location, we aim to significantly reduce transportation costs, carbon emissions, and truck traffic, while leveraging renewable energy, automation & robotics, and streamlined truck flow to increase throughput and maximize shelf life.
Existing Conditions
New Facility
Let Us Introduce You To Salinas Valley, California!
The City of Salinas is a bustling urban community, situated in Northern Salinas Valley in Monterey County. It is the agricultural produce distribution hub for “The Salad Bowl of the World.”
Some facts
Did You Know?
In the United States, Monterey County supplies the following percentages of total national pounds produced each year in the U.S.
%
Leaf Lettuce
%
Celery
%
Head Lettuce
%
Broccoli
%
Spinach
%
Cauliflower
%
Leaf Lettuce
%
Celery
%
Head Lettuce
%
Broccoli
%
Spinach
%
Cauliflower
Ag exports from Monterey County
exceed 400 million pounds per year.
Food Waste
The commodities with the highest level of waste are:
- Fruits and vegetables (45%) – equivalent to 3.7 trillion apples
- Fish and seafood (35%) – equivalent to 3 billion salmon
- Meat (20%) – equivalent to 75 million cows
history
Our History Dates Back Over 85 Years…
Since 1936 we have been the pioneer in the pre-cooling and cold storage industry.
From the first wagonload of lettuce in 1916 until today, the Salad Bowl of the World has been the Major Producer of fresh produce consumed around the country and the world.
Our 28-Acre Campus has been a major fixture in Salinas Valley since our founding, with the term “iceberg lettuce” first coined when train cars full of lettuce were shipped cross-country using block ice produced at our GIC facility.
Site Plan & Building Specifications
431,500 SF Regional Consolidation Center and Cross-Dock Facility
Project Details
- Located in Salinas, CA right off Highway 101
- 431,500 SF temperature-controlled building including a 22,500 SF Office, 6,000 SF engine room, and a 2,000 SF shipping office area
- 428,011 SF of solar PV-lined shade bay
- 59 shipping docks and 30 receiving docks
- 288 POV spots with 60 long-haul truck parking stalls
- Microgrid system with solar, cogeneration, and backup battery storage
- 2-story support structure to house a 2,000 SF forklift storage, 2,000 SF maintenance, 1,000 SF observation and control center, and a 3,000 SF employee breakroom
Disruption, Innovation, and Sustainability
GIC Salinas Campus will be the first ever regional Consolidation Center and Cross-Dock facility to serve California’s Central Coast, and will leverage renewable energy, automation, full-service 3PL, and streamlined logistics.
Incoming truck docks covered by Solar PV Shade Bay
Racking System
Renewable Energy
GIC Salinas Campus will utilize a microgrid with solar, cogeneration, and backup battery storage in order to become self-sufficient, while driving down costs and greatly reducing our carbon footprint.
Automation
Our facility will incorporate the latest technology in racking, material handling, temperature monitoring and control, and robotics to eliminate mistakes and improve product handling.
Owner/Operators
As experienced owners and operators, our full-service 3PL will allow our customers to focus on core competencies, helping to scale space, labor, and transportation while improving delivery times and maximizing product quality.
Streamlined Logistics
Our process engineering will enable streamlined distribution and maximum throughput, with 59 long-haul truck docks and a drop trailer program to help our customers turn product quickly and efficiently while never breaking the cold chain.
Advantages of
Consolidation Centers & Cross-Dock Facilities
In today’s world, consumers are demanding their food to be delivered faster, cheaper, fresher, and in a sustainable manner.
PHT aims to solve this problem head on: we are building the first ever regional distribution center and cross-dock facility designed to support Grower-Shippers and Food Service companies in the movement of fresh produce and perishable items from Central California across the nation.
This central point of consolidation aims to transform the “first-mile” of the fresh produce supply chain, allowing Food Service companies to consolidate their distribution network and realize a number of upstream efficiencies through the following advancements:
- Automated Storage/Retrieval Systems (AS/RS)
- High-speed palletizing robotics
- Improved cross-docking and case picking capabilities
- EV-provisions for electric vehicles
- Renewable energy with solar, cogeneration, and battery storage controlled by microgrid
- Redesigned dock doors to maintain cold environment
- Drop Trailer program capabilities
- Solar-lined shade bay covering loading/unloading docks and truck staging
With a dedicated first-mile logistics facility located in Salinas, CA, our customers will be able to consolidate and distribute their produce directly from the source of production, helping to eliminate food waste, deliver product faster, and increase product quality and freshness.
Key Benefits of Cross-Docking
Truck
Traffic Reduction
With one central location to ship from, not only will this reduce long-haul truck traffic significantly, but also reduce transportation costs, road safety and CO2 emissions.
Reducing
Long-Term Costs
Cross-Dock facilities are designed to maximize efficiency when it comes to the intake, processing, storage, and distribution of goods, which means less money wasted paying for temporary storage, dealing with stockouts, or losing customers due to delayed or incomplete orders.
Centralizing
The Order Fulfillment Process
Order picking and inventory tracking can occur entirely within one facility or within a streamlined network of interconnected locations, dramatically reducing the number of pain points in your shipping and delivery logistics.
Maximizing
Business Growth Potential
By outsourcing your distribution and consolidation to a third-party, you can focus on core competencies for your business while streamlining your supply chain.
Contact PHT Investment Group today to learn more about our Regional Consolidation Center and Cross-Dock Facility.
Opening for the 2026 Season!
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