Vertical Cold Storage adds 10th facility to network

Vertical Cold Storage, a developer and operator of temperature-controlled distribution centers sponsored by real estate investment firm Platform Ventures, has entered into a purchase agreement to acquire the frozen distribution center from Dothan Warehouse in Dothan, AL. The Dothan facility focuses on poultry for export markets and is located close to several interstate highways, enabling less than one day delivery to the ports of Jacksonville, FL; Mobile, AL; New Orleans, LA; Panama City, FL; and Savannah, GA. The operation employs 40 full-time team members. Vertical Cold Storage, which is not acquiring Dothan Warehouse’s ambient and refrigerated facilities, expects the acquisition to close in August.

“This latest acquisition shows our commitment to the protein industry and to building a nation-wide network of high-performance frozen and refrigerated warehouses. We look forward to supporting the many great processers and retailers in the region, and to welcoming the Dothan team members on board,” said West Hutchison, President and CEO of Vertical Cold Storage.

The USDA-certified Dothan facility is more than 109,000 sq. ft, with 10 dock doors. The warehouse, which opened in April 2019 and was expanded in January 2023, is well-suited for a wide range of frozen foods and features high-capacity blast freezing, export services, case picking, cross docking, and kitting capabilities.

“We’re confident that Vertical Cold Storage will carry forward the success of our frozen distribution center. We trust West and his team to take great care of our customers and employees, just like we’ve always done. This move means our facility will keep growing and improving, and that’s really important to us,” said Turner Jones, President of Dothan Warehouse.

As with other recent acquisitions, Vertical Cold Storage will be implementing its customized warehouse management technology and will deploy new best practices focused on improving product throughput while maintaining the highest levels of food and worker safety.