KANSAS CITY, MO. — Vertical Cold Storage celebrated the groundbreaking of its new Kansas City, Mo.-based distribution facility. The company expects the site to be operational by the end of 2024.

“Vertical Cold Storage is excited to deliver the first facility in Kansas City to offer the value-added services of blast freezing, case picking, and expedited intermodal transportation solutions adjacent to the CPKC intermodal terminal,” said West Hutchison, president and chief executive officer of Vertical Cold Storage. “Kansas City is an excellent location for customers interested in reducing their carbon footprint and transportation expense by leveraging new intermodal capacity for import/export or domestic transportation needs.”

The over 300,000-square-foot facility will employ 130 full-time team members. The center features around 50,000 pallet positions, state-of-the-art blast freezing technology and four rooms convertible to 20° F. The building design and construction utilize innovative materials and systems that minimize energy use.

Vertical Cold Storage told MEAT+POULTRY that it is focused on providing value-added services to the protein industries, such as blast freezing and export services.

While the original announcement for the facility noted a partnership between West Liberty Foods and Vertical Cold Storage, the latter stated that the West Liberty, Iowa-based meat processor is no longer a collaborator in the project.