Demand is hot for Sunshine Coast cold storage

Peter’s Ice Cream is one of the first businesses to use the new Sunshine Coast Cold Stores facility which officially opened today (4 May) at Chevallum.

The ice cream company, which is now doing daily deliveries and pick-ups from the new facility, is joined by iconic local food producers Gourmet Garden and Tropico.

Keeping shops stocked with fresh fruit, frozen treats and fresh herbs and spices is just the start of the benefits the Sunshine Coast Cold Stores will bring to our region.

Sunshine Coast Cold Stores is owned by the Ramia family who have more than 30 years’ experience in the cold storage industry in Toowoomba with Orchy Fruit Juices, Toowoomba Ice and Toowoomba Cold Stores.

Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson said the decision by the Ramia family to open their facility here on the Sunshine Coast and to expand their operations was greatly welcomed by council.

“Sunshine Coast Cold Stores is projected to deliver a local economic benefit of $17.2 million and support 50 full time jobs,” Mayor Jamieson said.

“New jobs and an expanding, successful business – this is great news for Sunshine Coast Cold Stores and for our community.

“Our council is delighted to have worked with Sunshine Coast Cold Stores to help them establish their new facility here in our region, which also supports our local food and beverage producers.

“This facility can house more than 2000 racked frozen pallets, which I’m told is around 700,000 cartons of ice cream, and it has been designed with the latest technology and offers refrigerated pick-up and delivery services around the Sunshine Coast.

“It’s an impressive operation and one which is a welcome addition to the Chevallum Industrial Park.”

Sunshine Coast Cold Stores owner Leigh Ramia said the decision to expand to the Sunshine Coast was a result of discussions with Tropico and Gourmet Gardens, who both expressed concerns about the limited cold storage options available in the area.

“We undertook market research and could see that there was a need for a dedicated freezer storage facility.”

Mr Ramia said that the building process ran smoothly thanks to support and guidance provided by council.

“Council provided prompt and clear answers to our questions and we were able to build the complex to meet the needs of our customers. The council was exceptional throughout the entire process,” Mr Ramia said.

“We are very proud to be a family-run business which can bring this level of cold stores to the Sunshine Coast, providing exceptional customer service to our existing and new customers and allowing fast and easy access to their product.”

Mayor Jamieson said the development aligned with the Regional Economic Development Strategy which at its core sought to drive economic growth and attract new investment and jobs in our seven high-value industries.

“Projects like this are on council’s radar for their ability to enhance the capabilities and skills of our workforce to meet the needs of an expanding economy and enable more Sunshine Coast people, particularly our young people and families, to remain on the Sunshine Coast.”