The US$95mn plant will provide faster, more efficient, and higher-quality fruit processing and storage
A new packing and cold storage facility with the capacity to handle 4,000 tonnes of cherries has been inaugurated in San Nicolás in Chile’s Ñuble Region.
Built by Mañío Engineering and Construction, Frigorífico San Nicolás, will operate between November and January and will generate more than 2,500 temporary jobs during the peak season.
The new US$9.5mn facility was built with co-financing from Corfo, Chile’s Production Development Corporation, and incorporates cutting-edge AI-powered technology to guarantee faster, more efficient, and higher-quality fruit processing and storage.
Franciso Larrere, general manager of Mañío Engineering and Construction, said the aim was to reduce transportation times and consolidate local packing operations, allowing for more stable production flows.
Prior to its opening, locally-grown fruit had to be sent to plants located in the O’Higgins Region, increasing transport and shipping times.
“We modernized the infrastructure and incorporated state-of-the-art technology to process cherries in Ñuble,” Larrere said.
The company said it plans to produce approximately 650,000 cartons of cherries each season. The operation will provide more than 70 permanent jobs related to general operations.
