The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) and Lineage are adding new services for the global food supply chain.
In-house USDA import inspections will now take place at Lineage’s Jourdan Road cold storage facility in New Orleans East, the companies reported. I-Houses, or import houses, are facilities that specialize in streamlined, on-site USDA inspection services for imported proteins. The new import service complements Lineage’s existing USDA export inspection services at its Jourdan Road facility.
Lineage boasts two cold storage facilities at the Port of New Orleans. One is at the Henry Clay Avenue Wharf in Uptown New Orleans and the other is on Jourdan Road in New Orleans East along the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal.
“In addition to the new import services, we also continue to appreciate the value-added exports of Lineage that strengthen Louisiana’s $1.6 billion poultry industry, including nearly 300 commercial broiler producers throughout 11 parishes,” Beth Branch, Port NOLA president and CEO, and New Orleans Public Belt Railroad CEO, said in a news release.
“We look forward to expanding our partnership with Lineage to continue to be a key player in the global food supply chain.”
Lineage entered the New Orleans market in 2020 by acquiring New Orleans Cold Storage as part of its acquisition of Emergent Cold. New Orleans Cold Storage, founded in 1885, was the oldest cold storage operator in North America. In 2021, a $42 million expansion of Lineage’s Jourdan Road facility was announced, growing from 160,000 sq. ft. to 304,000 sq. ft. The project was completed in 2022. Additionally, through Louisiana and Port NOLA funding, an approximately $20 million investment in infrastructure updates is also being made to the Jourdan Road facility, Lineage reported. Shipments from the cold-storage facilities of Lineage draw upon multiple Louisiana poultry producers, including hatcheries, feed mills, broiler complexes, and processing plants.
Lineage’s two cold storage facilities at the Port of New Orleans span more than 460,000 sq. ft. and offer many ancillary services, including blast freezing and integrated transportation supply chain solutions.
“Streamlined inspection services are crucial for products like meat and poultry, which require 100% USDA inspection before hitting the market,” said Brian Beattie, Lineage president of Western U.S. operations. “Having this capability onsite helps get these products to market quickly and efficiently while meeting all regulatory requirements.
“The Port of New Orleans and its strategic location are critical to helping feed the country and the world. Lineage hopes to bring additional business to New Orleans and serve customers importing beef, pork, exotic meats, and various seafood products with our new I-House capabilities.”
