A M King has begun construction of a south Texas distribution center for Mexico-based GAB Operations, with completion scheduled for October.

The new 45,590-sf facility, when complete, will provide increased cold storage capacity for fresh produce and will serve as a hub for the company’s U.S. and Canadian customers.

GAB, founded more than three decades ago in Guanajuato, Mexico, specializes in the production, development, marketing and distribution of fresh and frozen vegetables and fruits.

Items include broccoli, cauliflower, spinach and other leafy greens, varieties of lettuce, celery, sweet corn, snow peas, pumpkin, sweet mini peppers, berries, and more.

In addition, the company, which operates under the brand name Mr. Lucky, is one of the largest garlic and organic tomato producers in Mexico, prepares fresh-cut produce for foodservice clients and provides pre-packed salads and private-label products for many U.S.-based produce outfits.

GAB’s Laredo distribution center will be located in the Pinnacle Industry Center, which is just minutes from the Rio Grande River and the Laredo International Airport. It is neighbor to Mission Produce’s new 262,000-sf greenfield ripening, processing and distribution center, an A M King project that will be complete this summer.

GAB Vice President Miguel Usabiaga emphasizes that quality and exceeding customer expectations are important.

“We always strive to exceed our customer’s expectations, and this is why we decided to partner with the Design-Build professionals at A M King. We are looking forward to successful project completion," he said.

GAB President Jaime Usabiaga says, “The GAB project will not only house the cold storage warehouse and offices of the GAB Laredo distribution center but will also feature a trucker dormitory where our fleet drivers may rest before continuing their route.”

During the design phase, A M King worked with GAB to ensure that the layout and flow of the space met current as well as future needs. As part of the process, we also included a forced-air cooler that would bring the temperature of the produce down quickly and safely and incorporated different vertical leveler lengths for cargo flexibility.