Gordon Food Service announced today the purchase of the Albertson’s LLC Plant City, Florida distribution center. The 1-million-square-foot facility occupies a 158 acre site in Hillsborough County off of Interstate 4 between Tampa and Orlando, Florida.
In making the announcement, Gordon Food Service President Jim Gordon said, “We are excited to add the Plant City location to our distribution network in Florida. This facility is in a prime location to support our rapid growth in Florida. We expect to begin shipping to our customers in central Florida from Plant City in the fall of 2010. Our Miami Distribution Center will continue to serve all of our Southern Florida customers as well as our cruise and international customers. Our Ocala Distribution Center will continue to serve select chain customers.”
“We are very pleased that Gordon Food Service has chosen Plant City for a major distribution center where they will employ over 350 people when the facility is operating at full capacity,” said Plant City Mayor Rick Lott. He added, “This expansion was a complex project made possible by Gordon Food Service working closely with our City staff, Enterprise Florida, Hillsborough County and the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation. Gordon Food Service is a great addition to Plant City’s corporate family and their investment and job creation are a welcome boost to the local economy.”
“Gordon Food Service’s accomplishment demonstrates the overall strength of Florida’s business climate in supporting expansion projects that prompt significant job growth and productivity,” said Enterprise Florida President & CEO John Adams Jr. “It also complements Tampa Bay’s vibrant industry base. This is welcome news for Florida, and we look forward to the success of this venture.”
Gordon Food Service entered the Florida market in 2003 with the purchase of Smart & Final Inc.’s Florida foodservice direct delivery and store businesses. Operating out of the distribution center in Miami, Florida, Gordon Food Service grew its Florida foodservice distribution business by servicing the needs of thousands of foodservice operators including restaurants, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, colleges and universities and cruise ships. In 2007, Gordon Food Service opened an additional distribution center in Ocala, Florida to service the needs of several large multi-unit chain customers.
The Plant City, Florida facility will be the company’s twelfth distribution center in the United States and its third in Florida. Currently, Gordon Food Service operates distribution centers in Grand Rapids (2) and Brighton (2), Michigan; Springfield, Ohio; Shepherdsville, Kentucky; Greenville, South Carolina; Pottsville, Pennsylvania and Ocala and Miami, Florida. In addition, a new distribution center in Kenosha, Wisconsin will be operational in March 2010.
About Gordon Food Service
Since 1897, the people of Gordon Food Service have been committed to delivering uncompromising quality, outstanding value and exceptional customer service. What began as a simple butter-and-egg delivery service is today North America’s largest family-owned and managed broadline foodservice distributor. Gordon Food Service distributes to foodservice operators throughout the Midwest and along the entire East Coast of the United States and coast to coast in Canada. The company also operates 132 GFS Marketplace retail stores which are open to the public and provide the benefits of restaurant-quality products and friendly, knowledgeable service without a membership fee. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.gfs.com.
About Albertson’s LLC
Albertson’s LLC is working to become the favorite food and drug retailer in every market it serves. The company is privately owned and operates over 240 stores under the Albertson’s banner in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas.
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