Published by Lancaster News, by Tim Mekeel

December 30, 2013

Pet Food Experts will build a new $12 million distribution center in East Cocalico Township, the state announced Monday.

The new 197,000-square-foot facility will be financed in part by a $2 million loan from the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority.

The new location, set to open in fall 2014, will replace the company's Greenfield Road facility, where it opened in 2011.

According to the state, the project will create 60 new jobs and preserve the 60 jobs that Pet Food Experts has at 180 Greenfield Road.

That Greenfield Road location, formerly occupied by Miller & Hartman, is 18 miles from the new address at 561 S. Muddy Creek Road.

Pet Food Experts intends to sell or lease the 108,000-square-foot Greenfield Road building.

Lancaster Newspapers reported in November that Pet Food Experts was planning to build a new distribution center in East Cocalico.

At that time, the township had given the project conditional approval and the state had yet to approve financing.

Pet Food Experts, based in Cumberland, R.I., is a distributor of pet food and supplies to independent retailers.

It serves more than 2,800 independent retailers in 22 states from warehouses on Greenfield Road, in Cumberland and in Des Plaines, Ill.

The East Cocalico site is an industrially zoned tract opposite an Acme distribution center.

It was eyed several years ago by Amelia's Grocery Outlet for a distribution center.

The Amelia's project fell through, however, after the firm was sold and the new owners had no interest in developing the site.

Helping to make the Pet Food Experts project a reality is the PIDA loan, at 2.5 percent over 15 years.

Larry Prescott, project architect at general contractor Professional Design and Construction, said earthmoving equipment already is on the site.

"We're ready and poised to pull the trigger as soon as the weather cooperates," he said.

A Pet Food Experts official could not be immediately reached for comment.

(Tim Mekeel, "Pet Food Experts to build $12M distribution center in East Cocalico," Lancaster News, 12/30/13)