Screenshot of the Busseto Foods plant in Fresno. Via Google Street View.

Italian meat company Busseto Foods has filed plans for a new 477,000 square-foot food processing and distribution facility for their iconic line of dried meats. The project, on 18.90 acres, is located on the southeast corner of South West and West Church avenues in Fresno.

The development would require a General Plan Amendment and rezone to allow industrial uses. The mostly vacant property is now zoned for residential. Residents in the area have been opposed to rezoning for other projects following the passage of the Southwest Fresno Specific Plan.

Approvals would allow Busseto Foods, Inc. to consolidate all Fresno-based facilities and operations under one roof. A majority of operations including the processing, warehousing, and distribution activities are located on the ground floor with administrative activities located on the second floor.

Approximately 160 employees are projected to work at the facility, including 20-50 temporary/part-time seasonal employees that are projected to work from September to December.

The products produced at the plant will include four types of dried meat – salami, pancetta, coppa and prosciutto. The facility will include a large kitchen, refrigeration and freezing cold boxes; rooms for seasoning, storage, washing, cleaning, and unpacking and packing, as well as loading and unloading docks. Nearly one half of the building will be a giant drying room for the prosciutto.

Production of these items involves a non-odor emitting process consisting of fermentation and drying in atmosphere-controlled rooms. No slaughtering or butchering of meat takes place in the facility. Nearly all meat arrives frozen from other locations. It is anticipated that the facility will produce 500,000 to 600,000 pounds of dried meat per week. No retail store is planned.

Busseto Foods is currently located at 1351 N. Crystal Ave. with two other locations. Company sales have been estimated to be around $60 million.