Long known for its sweet corn, tomatoes and peaches, Cumberland County also is producing an abundance of cold-storage warehouse space, as well as food processing and packaging facilities.
Eleven such construction or expansion projects — including an oat milk plant in Millville, a commercial dairy in Bridgeton and a hydroponic leafy greens-growing facility in Vineland — have been reviewed by the county planning board in the last 18 months. Ten cold storage warehouses operate in Vineland alone, and many are locally owned, city officials said.
Warehouse development is advancing south along I-295 and the New Jersey Turnpike as online retailers offer ever-faster fulfillment and the demand for fresh food grows. But cold-storage space remains near capacity on the East Coast.
Thus, Vineland — a sprawling and diverse city of 59,000 with two industrial parks and multiple exits on Route 55 — “is in a good spot,” said Sandy Forosisky, the city’s director of economic and community development.