Giant Food has kicked off a major expansion of its distribution warehouse in Jessup, Md., to accommodate increased fresh food and e-commerce demand.
Landover, Md.-based Giant said Monday that it will add 95,000 square feet to its approximately 413,000-square-foot Jessup facility, for a 23% bigger footprint. Construction began in January and is expected be completed later this month, when the expanded warehouse will be fully operational. The extra space also will create 30 new jobs.
Besides bringing more efficiency, Giant said, the extension will boost capacity for high-demand categories such as organics; fresh produce, meat and seafood; and other merchandise like fresh-cut floral and seasonal products.
Giant noted that the warehouse also will supply its Giant Delivers online grocery delivery service. The supermarket chain recently integrated its online grocery service with Peapod.com — the former e-grocery service of parent company Ahold Delhaize USA — on giantfood.com.
Among the efficiency improvements are space for cross-docking, which Giant said will enable better utilization of storage areas and allow key products — including Giant store brands — to transition from inbound to outbound in one trip. The warehouse, too, will house 106 dock doors, an almost 20% increase, to further streamline daily operations.
In addition, the Jessup facility will get the latest equipment and technology to manage high-capacity operations, Giant said, explaining that improved traffic flow and warehousing efficiencies will step up productivity and bolster safe operating practices.
“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,” Joe Urban, vice president of distribution operations at Giant, said in a statement. “We’re committed to continuing to innovate our operations to bring the highest quality of products to our shoppers.”
Giant’s Jessup warehouse serves all of the retailer’s 163 supermarkets in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and Delaware. The chain’s stores also include 154 pharmacy, 81 PNC Bank and 23 Starbucks locations.
