German-based grocery chain ALDI breaks ground today on its new regional headquarters and distribution center in Loxley. The chain’s sixth Southern distribution center is designed to support 100 stores in Alabama, southern Georgia, the Florida panhandle, Mississippi and Louisiana.
The grocery chain also announced plans for expanded eCommerce and curbside pick-up options, as well as plans for 100 more stores, primarily in Arizona, California, Florida and the Northeast.
The 564,000-square-foot building, designed with energy saving elements including LED lighting, solar panels and an environmentally friendly refrigeration system, is expected to have 200 employees.
Once the distribution center is in place, ALDI plans up to 35 new Gulf Coast stores by the end of 2022, with the first two slated to open this year in Tallahassee.
“We’re incredibly proud to continue growing in all aspects of our business, from opening new stores to enhancing our eCommerce offerings, especially in light of the challenges businesses have faced in the last year,” said Jason Hart, CEO, ALDI U.S.
Growing rapidly in the U.S., ALDI has more than 2,000 stores in 37 states and “is on track to become the third-largest grocery retailer by store count by the end of 2022,” the company notes.
