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The coronavirus pandemic has led to an increase in grocery sales as people cook more meals at home, and one of the D.C. region's largest grocers is responding to growing demand.
Giant Food announced Monday it is expanding its distribution warehouse in Jessup, Maryland, that serves all 163 of its grocery stores in D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Delaware.
The grocer is adding 93K SF to the warehouse, a 23% increase in its footprint that it says will create 30 new jobs. Giant began construction on the expansion in January and expects to complete it later this month.
The expansion will include a 20% increase in the number of docking doors at the warehouse facility. It will also add technology to manage high-capacity operations, improving traffic flow and warehouse efficiency. In addition to serving the 163 stores, the distribution facility will also supply goods for Giant's home delivery service.
"The efficiency improvements and enhanced space for housing and distributing thousands of items at the warehouse will further our ability to grow to meet the needs of our communities," Giant Vice President of Distribution Operations Joe Urban said in a release. "We're committed to continuing to innovate our operations to bring the highest quality of products to our shoppers."
Headquartered in Landover, Giant is the largest grocer in the D.C. area and employs roughly 20,000 people in the mid-Atlantic. The grocer's parent company, Ahold Delhaize USA, in May named Ira Kress as Giant's permanent president after he served as interim president for nearly a year, the Washington Business Journal reported. Ahold Delhaize also owns Massachusetts-based grocery chain Stop & Shop.
Industry leaders will discuss the latest on the region's warehouse market Wednesday on Bisnow's Baltimore-Washington Industrial & Logistics webinar.
Contact Jon Banister at jon.banister@bisnow.com.
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