South KC hub heats up with $100M+ cold storage investment; logistics site expected to bring 190 jobs

A strategic collaboration between Americold and CPKC underscores Kansas City’s growing role in advancing cross-border commerce and temperature-controlled logistics, officials said Tuesday, celebrating the grand opening of a 335,000-square-foot Import-Export Hub in South Kansas City.

Corporate and economic development leaders celebrate the grand opening of Americold’s Import-Export Hub within the I-49 Logistics Center in South Kansas City; photo courtesy of Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City (EDCKC)

Americold’s new $100 million-plus facility is expected to create nearly 190 new jobs and serve as a hub for Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s (CPKC) Mexico Midwest Express (MMX) service — the only single-line rail offering for refrigerated freight between the U.S. Midwest and Mexico.

“Americold’s investment is a powerful example of what’s possible when global industry leaders recognize the value of Kansas City,” said Tracey Lewis, president and CEO of Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri (EDCKC). “This facility strengthens our position as a logistics powerhouse and reflects our commitment to attracting transformative projects that deliver long-term economic impact for our workforce and community.”

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Strategically located within the I-49 Logistics Center — an emerging hub for industrial development and multimodal connectivity — the facility showcases Kansas City’s advantages in freight access, geographic centrality, and capacity for scalable growth.

“This is more than infrastructure — it’s a fully integrated solution that connects food producers to consumers faster and more efficiently,” said George Chappelle, CEO of Americold. “By combining our cold storage capabilities and food flow expertise with CPKC’s rail network through Kansas City, we’re creating a new North American cold chain that delivers real value to our customers. Simply put, we’ve unlocked a better way to move food.”

“This grand opening marks the realization of a shared vision,” added Keith Creel, president and CEO of CPKC. “This facility is the first of many across our unrivaled North American network. By combining Americold with our secure, single-line cross-border service, we have created a new refrigerated supply chain for our customers shipping food and other temperature-controlled products across Canada, the United States, and Mexico.”

EDCKC worked in collaboration with Missouri Partnership, KC SmartPort, the City of Kansas City, the Missouri Department of Economic Development, Missouri One Start, Evergy, and Spire to support the project and align it with local workforce and infrastructure priorities.

“We’re proud to welcome Americold to Kansas City,” said Quinton Lucas, mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. “This facility not only brings quality jobs to South KC residents — it reinforces our city’s strategic role in supporting national and global supply chains. We look forward to being a long-term partner in Americold’s success.”