Campofrio: An Industrial Building Converted for Refrigerated Food Distribution
Campofrio Food Group, a producer of European style meat products growing quickly in the US, leased a 143,790 square foot Hollingsworth building at SouthPoint Business Park in Prince George County, Virginia. Hollingsworth converted dry space to expand the building's refrigerated area from 34,800 square feet to more than 50,000, putting temperature controlled distribution 72 miles from the Port of Norfolk.
At a glance
| Client | Campofrio Food Group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Processed and European style meat products; rapid US growth since 2014 |
| Location | SouthPoint Business Park, Prince George County, VA |
| Building | 143,790 SF existing Hollingsworth building |
| Conversion | Refrigerated space expanded from 34,800 SF to more than 50,000 SF |
| Logistics | Access to I-95, I-85, I-295, and I-64; Port of Norfolk 72 miles |
| Why it matters | Fresh, temperature sensitive products require distribution closer to the customer than long shelf life goods |
| Outcome | A standing industrial building adapted to refrigerated food distribution serving dense Northeast markets |
Who is Campofrio Food Group?
Campofrio Food Group produces processed and European style meat products and has grown rapidly in the United States since 2014.
Campofrio's growth ran into a structural shift in food distribution. As Tom Wortham of The Hollingsworth Companies put it at the time, moving away from highly processed foods with a long shelf life to temperature sensitive fresh food products requires food distribution closer to the customer. Shelf life determines geography, and fresh products need buildings near the population they feed.
What did Campofrio need?
Campofrio needed refrigerated distribution capacity within reach of the Northeast's dense markets, with more cold space than any standing building offered.
SouthPoint Business Park in Prince George County sits at the intersection of the mid-Atlantic's freight arteries: I-95, I-85, I-295, and I-64, with the Port of Norfolk 72 miles away. The Hollingsworth building there had 34,800 square feet of refrigerated space, real but not enough. The question was whether the landlord would invest in converting dry industrial space to refrigerated, a modification most owners of commodity warehouses will not touch.
How did The Hollingsworth Companies help?
Hollingsworth leased Campofrio the 143,790 square foot building and expanded its refrigerated space past 50,000 square feet by converting existing dry space.
Refrigerated conversion is invasive work: insulation, refrigeration systems, floors, and drainage all change. A developer that holds its buildings for decades can justify that investment because the improvement stays in the portfolio, serving this tenant and the building's next chapter. Hollingsworth's in house design and construction team handled the conversion, and the same park simultaneously started a new 194,880 square foot building, a signal of how the park keeps growing around its tenants.
What were the results?
Campofrio gained refrigerated distribution within one day's drive of the Northeast markets, in a building adapted around its product rather than the other way around.
The project added food manufacturing and refrigerated distribution to the industry mix at SouthPoint Business Park, alongside aluminum extrusion, building products, and retail fixture manufacturing. A park that can hold a billet caster and a refrigerated meat distributor at the same time is a park whose buildings were designed with flexibility in the bones.
Moving away from highly processed foods with a long shelf life to temperature-sensitive fresh food products requires food distribution closer to the customer.
Frequently asked questions
What did The Hollingsworth Companies provide for Campofrio?
A 143,790 square foot building at SouthPoint Business Park in Prince George County, Virginia, with refrigerated space expanded from 34,800 square feet to more than 50,000 through conversion of existing dry space.
Can Hollingsworth buildings support refrigerated or food grade uses?
Yes. The Campofrio project converted dry industrial space to refrigerated distribution, handled by Hollingsworth's in house design and construction team.
Why is SouthPoint Business Park in Virginia positioned for distribution?
The park offers access to I-95, I-85, I-295, and I-64, with the Port of Norfolk 72 miles away, putting the dense Northeast markets within efficient reach.
Will Hollingsworth modify an existing building for a specialized use?
Yes. As a long term owner, Hollingsworth can justify invasive building modifications like refrigerated conversion because the investment stays in its portfolio.