Our Services
We’re your single-source solution for your produce cooling and logistics needs.
PRODUCE pre-COOLING
During the growing season over 200,000 cartons of produce are cooled and shipped from our facilities daily, utilizing vacuum cooling tubes, hydro coolers, icing stations, and forced air pressure cooling rooms.
Produce Handling & Cold Chain Process
Our experienced staff work cohesively to continually implement and monitor rigorous quality control procedures and food safety standards throughout the receiving, processing, and loading phases.
Produce Pre-Cooling
From food safety to increased storage life, it’s widely recognized that pre-cooling produce is essential. By increasing the amount of time that food can be stored, it allows growers to market their products days, weeks, or even months after the harvest has passed, eliminating the need to sell directly after harvest. This is beneficial for high-volume growers as well as producers that need a great degree of flexibility.
CCC
At Central Coast Cooling (CCC), we continue to refine and improve our processes and systems as the industry leading pre-cooling and cooling 3PL provider to grower shippers in Salinas Valley, CA and Imperial Valley, CA. Whether your needs are seasonal or long-term, you can count on CCC to give you the stellar, solution-oriented service you deserve.
Pre-Cooling Methods
Different cooling methods may be applied to the same commodity. The most common cooling methods in commercial use are the following:
Vacuum Cooling
Vacuum Cooling
Produce is placed in an airtight metal cylinder in which the atmospheric pressure is reduced. This leads to evaporation and the removal of field heat from the commodity.
Used for:
Hydro- Cooling
Hydro- Cooling
This method uses water to take up the heat from harvested produce. Cold or chilled water is sprayed on produce or the produce is submerged into it. Water should be able to flow through the produce rather than around it.
Used for:
Ice Cooling
Ice Cooling
Ice Injectors are used in this method to force a mixture of ice and water directly into the packaged cartons of produce and cool the commodity through direct contact.
Used for:
Forced Air Cooling
Forced Air Cooling
The process of removing heat from produce by creating a pressure differential across the product. Uses fans to circulate, or force, cool air throughout the produce. By pulling the air through the produce, this helps minimize dehydration.
Used for:
Our Markets
Our primary markets are in Salinas Valley, CA and Imperial Valley, CA. CCC’s Salinas location services grower shippers in the heart of Salinas Valley in Monterey County, California, often referred to as the “Salad Bowl of the World.”
From 1916 until today, Salinas has been the major producer of many fruits and vegetables consumed around the country and the world. Ag Exports from Monterey County exceed 400 million pounds per year. In 2019, Monterey County’s Agriculture Production Value was approximately $4.41 billion.
In addition to our Salinas Valley Market, we also service grower shippers in Imperial Valley, California from our El Centro facility.
Thousands of acres of prime farmland have transformed Imperial Valley into one of the most productive farming regions in California. The gross agriculture production for 2019 was valued at over $2 billion, and Imperial County was ranked second in the state for California’s lettuce production.
Food Safety
Certification
Central Coast Cooling is a proud participant in Primus Food Safety certification and our team continues to meet all Organic compliance requirements.
Cooling and Shipping
With strict food safety protocols in place, there is over 27 million units of produce cooled and shipped from our facilities daily, utilizing vacuum cooling tubes, hydro coolers, icing stations, and forced air pressure cooling rooms.
CCC operates four separate pre-cooling and cold storage facilities. Three of these coolers are located in Salinas Valley, CA on a 28-acre campus with 35 refrigerated loading bays, 17 pressure cooler tunnels, 9 vacuum tubes, 5 high volume ice injection stations, and an ice supply capacity of more than 2,000 tons per day. CCC also has a full-service cooler operation located in Imperial Valley, CA.
IMAGE GALLERY
Produce Pre-Cooling Process
INJECTING ICE INSIDE CARTONS OF PRODUCE
PRODUCE IS PLACED IN LARGE BAGS IN COLD STORAGE FACILITY
FORKLIFT PLACES PRODUCE INSIDE HYDROCOOLER
PRODUCE IS DRENCHED IN COLD SHOWER (HYDROCOOLER) TO EXTRACT HEAT
CARTONS OF VEGETABLES ON PALLETS HAVE BEEN INJECTED WITH ICE TO EXTRACT HEAT
CARTONS OF PRODUCE ON CONVEYOR ENTERING VACUUM COOLING TUBE
POWERFUL FANS DRAW COLD AIR THROUGH PALLETS OF PRODUCE TO EXTRACT HEAT
FORKLIFT LOADS CARTONS OF PRODUCE ON CONVEYOR FOR VACUUM COOLING
Produce Handling & Cold Chain Process
ONCE PRODUCE IS PRE-COOLED, FORKLIFTS TRANSFER CRATES TO TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED STORAGE FACILITY.
CRATES OF PRODUCE HAVE BEEN PRE-COOLED AND ARE STORED IN TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED WAREHOUSE UNTIL DELIVERED TO CUSTOMER.
UPON COMPLETION OF PRE-COOLING PROCESS, PRODUCE IS PLACED IN TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED STORAGE ROOM UNTIL DELIVERED TO CUSTOMER.
FORKLIFT TRANSPORTING PRODUCE FOR PRE-COOLING PROCESS
Contact Us
For more information or to set up a consultation with our CCC team, please contact us below via phone or email.
General Manager
Tel.: (831) 422-4765
Administration
Accounts Receivable & Accounts Payable
Tel.: (831) 422-6345
Human Resources & Safety
Tel.: (831) 422-5608
PO Box 1170
Salinas, CA 93902
El Centro Office
170 N. 1st Street
El Centro, CA 92243
Tel.: (760) 352-2470
Salinas Offices
CCC 1
1069 Growers Street
Salinas, CA 93901
Tel.: (831) 422-7265
CCC 2
1166 Growers Street
Salinas, CA 93901
Tel.: (831) 755-0134
CCC 4
1080 Growers Street
Salinas, CA 93901
Tel.: (831) 424-6440