South Mountain Creamery Signs Lease for Depot Space in Harford County

Frederick County farm supplying ice cream and other dairy products, meats, poultry and baked leases 5,400 square feet to service burgeoning markets north of Baltimore and on Eastern Shore

BALTIMORE, MD (July 14, 2020) – Business was growing steadily for South Mountain Creamery, a family-owned Frederick County farm which grows, produces and completes home deliveries of dairy products, meats, poultry and baked goods throughout the Central Maryland region. Once COVID-19 took hold, the customer base nearly doubled, escalating from approximately 5,000 to more than 9,500, as consumers gravitated toward the purchase of wholesome and locally-sourced products that were delivered to their doorsteps. Based in Middletown, Maryland, South Mountain Creamery recently signed a lease with St. John Properties, Inc. for 5,400 square feet of space within Aberdeen Technology Park in the Aberdeen section of Harford County. Brooke Harlander, Partner in Training for St. John Properties represented both the landlord and the tenant in this transaction.

The space, located at 1202 Technology Drive, a single-story 38,400 square foot flex/R&D building, will be utilized by South Mountain Creamery as a distribution depot for its expanding customer base with approximately six employees expected to work from the facility. The farm plans to be operational at the new building, which is located less than one mile from Interstate 95 and is adjacent to MD Route 22 (Churchville Road), next month.

“Steady growth initiated our search for expansion space earlier this year, but the sudden increase of new business necessitated the need to accelerate our efforts,” said Tony Brusco, CEO of South Mountain Creamery. “We focused on buildings in Harford County to follow the path of our new customers, and believe Aberdeen Technology Park is perfectly positioned to enable us to service our newer markets on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and sections of Delaware. Because we deal with perishable goods, it was critical to access highways that connect our home base farm to this new location, as well as points north and east. The flexible layout and high ceilings at 1202 Technology Drive allowed us to execute a creative floorplan combining office and warehouse space, as well as areas for logistics and staging.”

South Mountain Creamery provides dairy products including eggs, cheese, butter, ice cream and cow or goat milk packaged in glass bottles. Meat and seafood selections range from boneless chicken breasts and thighs to beef jerky and pork. The farm also offers a complete selection of artisan breads, cakes and muffins as well as gluten-free products. Complete pre-packaged meals are also available including Mediterranean-style boxes or summer salads and the product line is rounded out with grains, flours, honey, sauces, peanut butter and fruit preserves.

“The glass bottled milk is particularly popularly as it provides a unique experience. A certain segment of customers are reminded of their youth, when milkmen delivered dairy products to the doorstep, while others are experiencing this for the first time, and will be able to tell their children how they had a milkman when they grew up, ” Brusco added. “Nostalgia and the notion of consuming freshly-grown, locally-sourced food items drives a significant part of our business.”

1202 Technology Drive offers 16-foot ceiling heights, dock or drive-in loading for logistics operations and free parking at the rate of four spaces per 1,000 square feet. Aberdeen Technology Park is situated 10 miles from Bel Air, 30 miles from Baltimore and 40 miles from Wilmington.

“With nearly two decades of successful operations, South Mountain Creamery is an entrepreneurial-driven company capitalizing on the growing trend of healthy eating and well-being,” stated Sean Doordan, Senior Vice President, Leasing & Acquisitions for St. John Properties. “Consumers are increasingly gravitating to their mission of producing wholesome food products utilizing responsible farming techniques and we believe their business will continue to expand.”

St. John Properties, Inc., founded in 1971, owns and has developed more than 20 million square feet of Flex/R&D, Office, Retail and Warehouse space in Maryland, Colorado, Louisiana, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Utah and Wisconsin. The company was named “2018 Developer of the Year” for the Nation by NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. For more information about the company, visit sjp.mu9b0uf9-liquidwebsites.com.