PepsiCo joins Logistics Park Kansas City

PepsiCo Global will soon be moving into the state-of-the-art Inland Port VII building at Logistics Park Kansas City (LPKC), a 3,000-acre, master-planned distribution and warehouse development in Edgerton, Kan.

“PepsiCo chose Edgerton and LPKC because they can see the clear advantages of locating at the premiere logistics and distribution center in the Midwest,” said Edgerton Mayor Donald Roberts.

PepsiCo signed a lease for the 952,956-SF space, where the global food and beverage company plans to distribute their popular Gatorade product line.

“PepsiCo/Gatorade is an excellent addition to the Edgerton business community. LPKC is a convenient, versatile hub that can meet the needs of any company’s supply chain. Edgerton’s proximity to key services and partners is one of the main reasons businesses experience success at LPKC,” said ElevateEdgerton! president, James Oltman.

Built by Northpoint Development, the facility was the largest speculative building in the Kansas City metro and in the state of Kansas when it was completed earlier this year. JLL managing director, Kevin Wilkerson, and executive vice president, Phil Algrim, represented NorthPoint in the negotiation.

“Inland Port VII is the latest delivery in a long line of industry leading logistics products, bringing together accessibility to quality labor and cutting-edge technology in one centralized location,” Wilkerson said.

Since 2013, LPKC has amassed over 14.4 million SF of industrial space for over twenty tenants; work has already started on the next spec industrial building at LPKC.

About PepsiCo: PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $67 billion in net revenue in 2019, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Butterfield's Bakery joins Lenexa Public Market

Butterfield's Bakery & Market will join Lenexa Public Market tenants this week, debuting their new-concept menu at its grand opening this Friday (December 4, 2020) at 8750 Penrose Lane in Lenexa, Kan.

Kate Smith, chef/owner of current Market tenant Kate Smith Soirée, will serve soups, salads and sandwiches featuring house-made breads for lunch and dinner, brunch on weekends and an expanded menu of pastries and ice cream treats. The restaurant's open layout allows guests to watch as bakers craft fresh breads and pastries throughout the day.

Smith’s specialty French macarons proved popular early on at shopping expos and weddings. In March 2019, she began selling macarons as a day-cart vendor at the Lenexa Public Market, then later expanded to a specialty confections stall, Kate Smith Soirée. When an anchor restaurant space became available in summer 2020, Smith decided to expand even further, offering a new comfort food concept via Butterfield’s Bakery.

Butterfield's Bakery & Market's regular hours begin Dec. 4 as follows: Tuesday-Friday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Lenexa Public Market is a unique destination for locally-made foods and goods. The dynamic indoor food hall and market offers local entrepreneurs an opportunity to launch or grow their businesses. The Market is located on the ground level of Lenexa City Hall at 87th Street Parkway and Penrose Lane and is operated by the City of Lenexa.

In addition to anchor, short-term and pop-up merchants, the Market houses a culinary-inspired event space called The Kitchen, which is used for cooking classes, samplings and demos, private events and more. Visit LenexaPublicMarket.com https://www.lenexapublicmarket.com/ for more information.

KCADC highlights impressive 2020 scorecard at annual meeting

The Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC) shined light on some impressive numbers this week during its annual meeting; including attracting 13 manufacturing, eCommerce and professional services companies in the last 12 months that will invest more than $1 billion and create 3,789 jobs in the Kansas City region.

The event was streamed digitally and broadcast on TV with over 2,000 business leaders, civic partners, national site location consultants, corporate executives and individuals across the country who have an affinity to KC.

“KC placed a strategic investment several years ago in our market’s inherent strengths for manufacturing, logistics and e-commerce. This investment led to the creation of KC SmartPort, which elevates KC’s competitive advantage through consistent messaging to companies in these industries, and is paying dividends today,” said Tim Cowden, president and CEO of KCADC.

“With more than 231 million square feet of existing industrial space, ample land for new buildings, a skilled logistics workforce and robust power and fiber infrastructure, Kansas City is primed for additional growth in the industrial sector,” Cowden said.

In 2020, KCADC helped attract prominent companies, including an 880,000-square-foot distribution center for Urban Outfitters, Inc., a 1,200-person e-commerce center for Chewy, Inc., and manufacturing facilities for Dot’s Pretzels and Tuthill Corporation, among others.

“Our priorities in identifying the home for our new omni-channel distribution center focused on people, and it was the quality of the local workforce that convinced us this is the right place to be,” said Dave Ziel, chief development officer of Urban Outfitters, which plans to open its $350 million facility in 2022.

The Kansas City region ranks No. 3 in the U.S. for industrial construction activity in cities with populations between one and four million, outpacing larger markets including Denver and Seattle. KC has seen 14.8 million square feet of industrial construction in 2020.

With a stronghold for financial, shared services and tech operations, KCADC also celebrated national recognition for Kansas City for professionals and future investment, including its ranking by Business Insider as the nation’s best “work from home” city, and its status as a Top Mid-Size City for Future Projects by the Site Selectors Guild.

“With a lower cost of living, free Wi-Fi downtown, access to diverse housing options and an abundance of lifestyle amenities, Kansas City is an ideal spot for remote workers leaving larger urban areas due to the pandemic,” said Jill McCarthy, senior executive of corporate attraction, KCADC.

“And there are plenty of new jobs for skilled professionals that relocate here, McCarthy said.

There are currently 49,000 open jobs in KC, and more than 15,000 jobs are created each year. Tech and highly-skilled jobs are growing faster in KC than in Seattle, Austin, Chicago and NYC, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“During such an uncertain time, KCADC’s success this year speaks to the highest level of professionalism, customer service and emphasis on regional collaboration that continues to move KC forward,” said Lisa Ginter, CEO of CommunityAmerica Credit Union and senior co-chair of the 2021 KCADC Board of Directors.

“This community has tremendous heart, and I look forward to continuing to make a positive impact on the KC region by supporting and amplifying the ongoing efforts of KCADC,” Ginter said.

In 2021, Lisa Ginter succeeds Dave Hall, executive vice chairman at Hallmark Cards, Inc., as senior-co chair of the KCADC Board of Directors. Brett Gordon, chairman of the board at McCownGordon Construction, will join KCADC’s volunteer leadership team serving as incoming co-chair, and Brian Roberts, chief diversity officer at Lockton Companies, will serve as treasurer.

“I’m looking forward to working alongside Lisa Ginter and Brett Gordon as KCADC actively positions the KC region as a top destination for business and talent in the year ahead,” said Roberts. “I can’t wait to see what 2021 brings for KCADC and the KC region.”