JD Food breaks ground on new $10.5M facility

Published on 12/14/2015 - 12:53 pm

Written by George Lurie

Company co-owner Mark Ford said the additional 65,000 square feet will help JD Food continue to grow and create an additional 150 jobs over the next ten years.

The development site — a vacant, 5.5-acre parcel on Edgar Avenue between Maple and Dearing avenues — is less than a block from JD’s existing 52,000-square-foot plant.

Flanked by company founders Jimmy Maxey and Ken Ford, Mark Ford said JD Food actually made offers on two different buildings — and considered relocating to Madera — before company officials “decided to think outside the box” and go with the location in Fresno’s growing industrial park.

In June, to discourage the company from relocating, the Fresno City Council approved a package of incentives that ultimately convinced company officials to expand.

As part of the deal, JD Food will not have to pay any business license taxes for the next seven years — and the city will waive a handful of future impact fees totaling $51,000, providing a total package of $410,000 in economic incentives over the next ten years, according to Larry Westerlund, Fresno’s director of economic development.

‘This is an exciting day for JD Food and an exciting day for the city,” said Westerlund, who along with Mayor Ashley Swearengin and City Councilmember Sal Quintero attended today’s groundbreaking ceremony.

“It took more than a year to put this deal together,” Westerlund added. “We love to help local companies grow and succeed and this is a really great company.”

Ford credited city officials with being “friendly, accommodating and working tirelessly to make this right.”

Three generations of the Ford and Maxey family attended the groundbreaking, including company co-owners Rob and Steven Maxey.

The expansion, which will be undertaken in several stages, will result in JD Food doubling its payroll — from its current 144 employees to 288 by 2025.

JD Food is a family-owned, local food service distributor that also operates Certified Meat Products.

Westerlund said the city is also committed by the agreement to return property tax increment dollars it collects from the company over the next eight years.

JD Food is a member of UNIPRO Food Service Distributors of America, the largest food service cooperative in the world.

The company services a broad range of retail and industrial clients throughout California, offering programs and products that, according to its website, include “fresh, cut-to-order meat; boxed beef; fresh produce, dairy and bread; beverages; frozen, canned and paper products; and equipment and small wares.”

Walnut-based Clarion Construction will serve as the general contractor on the project, which should take about a year to complete.

As dozens of company employees gathered at the construction site, Mark Ford emphasized that JD Food is “a faith-based business” and prior to the groundbreaking, Pastor Fred Leonard led employees in a prayer and read a short passage of Psalm 1:28.

In her remarks, Mayor Swearengin applauded the company for created new jobs and being a big part of the Fresno Food Expo since that event’s inception five years ago.

“I believe God is blessing your business,” Swearengin said, “and I pray that he will for years and generations to come.”

http://www.thebusinessjournal.com/news/development/20555-jd-food-breaks-ground-on-new-10-5m-facility