English AGRO Merchants Group (“AGRO Merchants” or the “Company”) has signed a Letter of Intent to purchase Dean’s Services (“Dean’s”) of Oakland, CA, the West Coast’s largest cold storage operator servicing the imported meat industry. Dean’s will join New Jersey-based Mullica Hill Group under the AGRO Merchants Group umbrella to provide AGRO Merchants with industry-leading facilities on both the East and West coasts and enable the Company to offer the highest quality, full-service meat import, value added service, and export management programs to its broad network of customers. Together, Dean’s and the Mullica Hill Group have been leading service providers to the meat import and transportation industry for 62 years.
Dean’s Services is a family-run business that has been supporting the Port of Oakland and surrounding markets since the 1970s. Operating one of the largest refrigerated warehouses in the Bay Area, Dean’s currently offers two on-site USDA Inspection houses (I-415 and I-540) making it the only facility capable of handling the large volume of import containers coming through the Port of Oakland.
To better serve our customers’ needs and keep up with volume demand, AGRO will extend warehouse hours of operation at Dean’s to 5am to 10pm. In addition, we have immediate plans to increase Dean’s storage capacity, expand its value-added service offerings, and upgrade its warehouse management system and EDI technology to continue to improve the Company’s overall supply chain management capabilities for its valued global import and export customers.
AGRO Merchants will combine the best operational and customer service practices to provide consistent and reliable services for meat industry companies trading into and out of North America. Services will include:
‘Import Loop’
- Mullica Hill’s proprietary container management system that streamlines the entry, customization, and scheduling of import containers by automating standard functions and by allowing importers, carriers and the warehouse to stay connected and share data through the same tracking system (https://www.importloop.com/company-roles.php)
Seal Verification Program/Inbound Load Arrival Pictures
Quality Program – SQF Certification
FCG Test Pallets
De-Boxing Services
Work Order Programs
Tempering Services
Re-packing Operations
CHEP Management
Port Drayage
The transaction is expected to close in July, subject to the completion of a definitive purchase agreement and certain closing conditions.
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About AGRO Merchants Group AGRO Merchants Group is focused on providing innovative cold chain solutions on a global basis by partnering with the highest quality family-operated businesses and creating new, reliable, and integrated trade networks to help its customers grow. The Company invests in modern assets, industry-leading technologies, and value-added service offerings to ensure the highest quality supply chain management standards in the industry. For additional information, please visit AGRO’s website at www.agromerchants.com.