Ventura Coastal Buys Juice Plant in Visalia

Ventura Coastal Corp., a Ventura concern that claims to be California’s largest independent processor of citrus for juices and other products, is purchasing a large new orange juice plant in the San Joaquin Valley.

Ventura Coastal began operating the 200,000-square-foot facility in Visalia last week, even though escrow likely won’t close until April 1, reports company President Dean E. Ulrich Sr.

“We’ve hired 35 people in Visalia to start and expect to have 100 on the payroll there by the end of the year,” Ulrich said. By the time the new unit is in full operation, Ventura Coastal will have a total of 250 employees at plants in Ventura, Indio and Visalia, he added.

Ventura Coastal processes one-third of all product citrus in California and Arizona, Ulrich reported. He said the firm’s juices and other products are marketed under such well-known brand names as Tropicana, Borden’s and Dole.