UPDATE: The Sacramento Bee, West Sacramento setting the table as a major food industry hub, Mark Glover (Feb. 2, 2014) and Growing pains assail the senses in West Sacramento neighborhood, Darrell Smith (Jan. 5, 2014)
West Sacramento appears to be a growing global food hub. Today, it was announced that Shinmei Co. Ltd. of Kobe, Japan (“Shinmei Co.”), is on a fast track to build a $10 million factory to make rice buns in West Sacramento and a 28,000-square-foot building in the Southport Business Park. Sacramento builder Potter Taylor & Co., a locally and family owned business, has been slated to develop the site and build the plant. Construction is expected to commence early next year.
Today’s announcement follows closely on the heels of Japan’s Nippon Shokken’s August 2013 announcement that, after 18 months of construction, it was opening its 70,000 square foot facility to make sauces for the global market. Nippon Shokken and Shinmei Co. will be next door neighbors.
Just weeks before Nippon Shokken’s announcement, Norway’s Tomra Sorting Solutions announced that West Sacramento would soon see work beginning on its 60,000 square foot building that will be the North American headquarters for Tomra. West Sacramento’s Brown Construction Inc. is building this factory and VLMK Consulting Engineers of Portland, Oregon will be acting as the project’s engineer and architect. Tomra expects to occupy the building by March.
Last but not least, Germany’s Bayer CropScience moved into a 164,00 square foot building in West Sacramento in late July. It expects to acquire an additional 10 acres somewhere close to construction a greenhouse facility.
These companies join various domestic food distribution and manufacturing companies that have been located in West Sacramento for many years, including Farm Fresh to You, Tony’s Fine Foods, Nor Cal Beverage and Raley’s Family of Fine Stores.
Additional Sources: Sacramento Business Journal