Des Plaines, IL – CJ Logistics America, a leading innovative supply chain and technology company, announced today that it will be opening a new cold storage warehouse in New Century, Kansas, just 30 miles outside of Kansas City. Developed in a joint venture by Yukon Real Estate Partners, a national cold storage developer, and BGO, a global leader in cold storage real estate, the project boasts a rail-served 291,000 square foot warehouse complete with Alta EXPERT refrigeration and is targeted to open its doors in Q3 2025.
The new warehouse facility will be attached to Upfield’s New Century production plant through an above-ground conveyor bridge being constructed by Upfield and allowing its finished product to be delivered directly into the warehouse. Upfield, a global leader in plant-based food, produces iconic brands such as Country Crock®, I Can’t Believe It's Not Butter® and Imperial® at the New Century manufacturing facility.
There is currently 100,000 square feet available at the warehouse for other customers looking for space as well.
The New Century cold storage facility is ideally positioned less than four miles from Interstate 35 and 11 miles from the newly developed BNSF Railway transcontinental line intermodal facility. The project is strategically located to take advantage of best-in-class access throughout the Midwest. With a direct rail spur into the warehouse, customers will benefit tremendously by realizing material savings on their overall logistics costs including drayage and demurrage, less environmental emissions and increased shipping efficiency, both domestic and cross-border. Whether by highway, rail or air, the greater Kansas City market offers excellent transportation advantages as approximately 85% of the United States is reachable within two days.
“The opening of this new facility continues the momentum from our announcement earlier this year of our new cold storage warehouse in Gainesville, Georgia,” said CJ Logistics America CEO Kevin Coleman. “We see the frozen and refrigerated food market increasing significantly in the coming years. Both of these new buildings expand our capabilities and reach, positioning CJ Logistics as a top supply chain and logistics partner. We are so excited for this long-term partnership with a leading brand like Upfield, and we thank Yukon Real Estate and BGO for their support throughout this process.”
”We are excited about this project as it fits squarely with Upfield’s sustainability focus and sets us up for future growth efficiency, allowing us to streamline our U.S. supply chain as we build around our New Century factory,” said Byron Alvarez, Upfield’s North America Supply Chain Director.
Ronnie Gomes, Upfield New Century Factory Director, added, “Upfield employees are enthusiastic about the company’s ongoing investment and the potential as a growth engine in the Johnson County Airport Commission industrial park. The forward-thinking approach lends itself to new possibilities and opportunities that benefit all stakeholders, while reducing our carbon footprint truck traffic, pivotal considerations in winning support of the project by the residents of the community. We look forward to the partnership with CJ Logistics and continued investment in New Century and the greater Kansas City Area.”
"Yukon is thrilled to partner with CJ Logistics to provide Upfield with a competitive logistics and transportation solution for their New Century plant," stated Marty Khait, Managing Principal of Yukon Real Estate Partners. "CJ has showcased a customer-centric approach that has proven invaluable in designing the project."
"This project necessitated an innovative solution to connect the two buildings, with active railway situated between them. We are proud to have overcome this challenge with an above-ground, over-rail conveyor bridge structure. The physical connection and integration of the new warehouse with Upfield’s existing production facility exemplify the parties' long-term dedication to maximizing the efficiency and sustainability of the factory's operations," added Axel Anderson, Director of Development for Yukon Real Estate Partners.
CJ Logistics provides integrated global supply chain services, maximizing customer value through continuous improvement and innovation. Currently, CJ Logistics operates technology-driven logistics businesses at 280 bases in 40 countries around the world. With a focus on social responsibility and sustainability through growth with customers and communities, CJ Logistics prioritizes the well-being of the end consumer. CJ Logistics offers an integrated, one-stop SCM service platform with air and sea international freight forwarding, warehousing and transportation contract logistics, asset-based trucking, parcel and express delivery, and supply chain consulting. As a lead logistics partner (LLP), third-party logistics provider (3PL) and supply chain consultant, CJ Logistics helps customers leverage supply chain management as a competitive advantage, reducing total system costs, transforming business processes, improving service and facilitating growth and change.
Yukon Real Estate Partners is a fully integrated real estate investment and development company focused on developing and acquiring cold storage and food logistics-related assets. As a first mover in modern cold storage development, Yukon identified a significant shortage in supply coupled with rising demand for cold storage space among users of varying sizes and stages of growth. To address this imbalance, Yukon set out to bolster America’s food supply chain by constructing new state-of-the-art projects and renovating and modernizing existing cold storage facilities.
Yukon’s multidisciplinary team has 60 cumulative years of experience across diverse backgrounds, including development, asset management, finance, and acquisition. As an industry leader focusing on tenant and customer partnerships and cold storage advocacy, Yukon provides comprehensive expertise in site search, selection, due diligence, design and construction, along with cold storage user advisory through its affiliated company, FindColdStorage.com.
Founded in 2018, Yukon Real Estate Partners headquarters in Austin, Texas.
For more information, visit yrep.com or email info@yrep.com.
Upfield, the future of great-tasting food, is the global leader in plant-based food, driving positive change for both people and the planet in four key categories: Butters and Spreads, Creams, Liquids and Cheese. Upfield’s iconic power brands – including Flora, Becel + ProActiv, Rama, Country Crock, BlueBand and Violife – as well as dozens of local jewels, are well recognized and enjoyed by consumers the world over. Upfield’s investment in R&D allows it to constantly push boundaries, with more than 130 Upfield food scientists and specialists working at its state-of-the-art Wageningen Food Science Centre in the Netherlands. Upfield’s brands are made in 14 wholly-owned factories and shared across 90 countries. Upfield’s purpose - to make people healthier and happier, with nutritious and delicious, natural, plant-based food that is good for you and for our planet - is at the heart of every decision it makes. In the U.S., Upfield is headquartered in Hackensack, New Jersey, with the manufacturing plant in New Century, Kansas. For more information, visit https://www.upfield.com.
BGO is a leading, global real estate investment management advisor and a globally-recognized provider of real estate services. BGO serves the interests of more than 750 institutional clients with approximately $82 billion USD of assets under management (as of March 31, 2023) and expertise in the asset management of office, industrial, multi-residential, retail and hospitality property across the globe. BGO has offices in 27 cities across thirteen countries with deep, local knowledge, experience, and extensive networks in the regions where we invest in and manage real estate assets on behalf of our clients in primary, secondary and co-investment markets. BGO is a part of SLC Management, the institutional alternatives and traditional asset management business of Sun Life.
The assets under management shown above includes real estate equity and mortgage investments managed by the BGO group of companies and their affiliates, and as of 1Q21, includes certain uncalled capital commitments for discretionary capital until they are legally expired and excludes certain uncalled capital commitments where the investor has complete discretion over investment.
For more information, please visit www.bgo.com