FoodLogistics.com |

Huston: Food distributor Sysco Corp. is selling its storage warehouse located off Interstate 10 East and building a state of the art facility nearby.

The facility will include an advanced European system to store and retrieve boxes. It will also have a test kitchen where customers can observe demonstrations by a team of chefs, review products and get food-industry consultations from experts. The building will also incorporate energy-saving features such as a high-efficiency refrigeration system, recycled materials, motion-controlled lighting and solar power. It will feature 585,000 square feet of refrigeration, dry warehouse, freezer and administrative space, a significant increase over the 350,000 square feet of space the company now has.

“We've just outgrown our existing facility and we have no room for expansion,'' notes Keith Miller, president and CEO of Sysco Food Services of Houston. “Our customer base has grown substantially over the years.''

Construction on the building is expected to start in the next few months and will take more than one year to complete. The Sysco board has approved the project, but Miller would not reveal its cost. Sysco said the company is not receiving any tax abatements for the property.

The general contractor on the project is Big-D Construction out of Salt Lake City and the architect is Architectural Nexus.

Sysco chose the location for its new warehouse and regional distribution hub because it was one of the few centrally located spots close to major freeways with enough acreage, Miller said. The 60-acre site provides enough room for expansion.