Giant Food announced the expansion of its distribution warehouse in Jessup, Md., which serves all 163 Giant Food stores throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Delaware. The expansion will add over 95,000 square feet, a 23% increase in footprint, which will increase efficiency and add capacity for high-demand categories like organics, fresh produce, meat and seafood as well as other merchandise, including fresh cut floral and seasonal products.
"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," said Joe Urban, Vice President of Distribution Operations at Giant. "We're committed to continuing to innovate our operations to bring the highest quality of products to our shoppers."
Additional improvements include space for cross-docking to make the most of storage areas and efficiently transition items from inbound to outbound in one trip for key products, including Giant own-brand products. The facility will now house 106 dock doors, nearly a 20% increase, to further streamline day-to-day operations. The new warehouse space will also be armed with the latest equipment and technology to manage high capacity operations. Improved traffic flow and warehousing efficiencies will enhance productivity as well as augment Giant's safety operating practices.
Furthering omnichannel growth and capabilities, the warehouse will also supply product for Giant's home delivery service, Giant Delivers.
The expansion will create 30 new jobs across various positions for the community. The facility, which began expansion construction in January, will be completed and fully operational later this month.
