C.H. Robinson Expands Fresh Produce Cold Chain Logistics in South Texas

C.H. Robinson Expands Cross-Border Fresh Produce Cold Chain Capacity

What Happened

C.H. Robinson’s fresh supply chains division, Robinson Fresh, has opened a new 142,600-square-foot logistics center in South Texas. The facility is located in Pharr, near the U.S.-Mexico border, and is designed to help fresh produce shippers move products from farm to market faster while protecting freshness and quality.

The company announced the facility on May 13, 2026. C.H. Robinson said the site expands its cross-border capabilities and supports customers that need faster produce handling, lower dwell time, and stronger execution near key border crossings.

How It Works

The new facility has 69 dock doors, multiple temperature zones, value-added services, and certifications aligned with Global Food Safety Initiative standards and USDA Organic requirements. It is embedded into C.H. Robinson’s end-to-end logistics platform and temperature-controlled network.

The site supports faster customs clearance, immediate cooling, ripening, quality control, repacking, consolidation, and cross-dock operations. C.H. Robinson said the facility is positioned near the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge, the Anzalduas International Bridge, nearby highways, McAllen International Airport, rail access, and the ports of Brownsville and Matamoros.

Why It Matters

Fresh produce logistics depends on speed, temperature control, inspection timing, and short dwell time. C.H. Robinson stated that 98% of all fresh produce imported from Mexico enters the United States through Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, or California, and that 55% of that volume moves through Texas. This makes South Texas a critical gateway for perishable supply chains.

By placing cooling, inspection, repacking, labeling, and consolidation capabilities close to the border, shippers can reduce handling delays and protect product quality earlier in the import process. For fresh produce, these hours can directly affect shelf life, retail quality, and order performance.

B2B Impact

For produce growers, importers, retailers, and foodservice buyers, the new South Texas facility may improve cross-border execution and reduce logistics uncertainty. The combination of multiple temperature zones, quality control, repacking, and cross-dock capability gives shippers more flexibility after produce enters the United States.

For cold chain service providers, this development points to growing demand for border-adjacent temperature-controlled infrastructure. Fresh produce customers increasingly need integrated services that combine cold storage, inspection, customs coordination, consolidation, repacking, and national distribution.

For B2B cold chain suppliers, the opportunity is broader than storage. Facilities like this require temperature monitoring, dock equipment, insulated handling workflows, packaging compatibility, warehouse management systems, and quality control processes that help preserve freshness from border entry to final market.