Kundan Foods Inc., founded in L.A. in 1978, bought 13310 LutheRd., about 20 miles from the Houston port, from Walsh InterestsLtd., which is waiting to move its air conditioning business into abuild-to-suit near Ritchie Road. The buyer was represented by theNAI Houston team of Travis Land, associate, and John Ferruzzo,principal and industrial division leader, and Chris Klein, vicepresident for Colliers International in Houston. Jeff Barbles ofMarcus & Millichap in Houston steered talks for the seller.

Land tells GlobeSt.com that Kundan Foods is shuttering the L.A.warehouse, but will keep the corporate headquarters intact. Theinbound spice manufacturer will create about 30 jobs in Houston,ticketed as a regional office.

Land says Kundan last year bought four acres in Phoenix for abuild-to-suit, but abandoned the plan after reworking numbers toreflect increased construction costs. "They did a little morehomework and went here," he explains. Kundan's owner came to townin April, toured 15 properties and narrowed the field to three.Land says the price and the asset's location outside the city linesealed a deal that closed with 1031 Exchange money from the Phoenixland sale and a property trade in L.A.