Gov. Kay Ivey joined other local and state elected officials in Loxley Feb. 10 to break ground on a 564,000-square-foot building that will help introduce Germany-based value grocer ALDI to a completely new market.
The company said its new regional headquarters and distribution center — a $100 million capital investment that will provide 200 blue- and white-collar jobs when it opens next year — will support as many as 35 new retail stores along the Gulf Coast by 2022.
It’s the company’s sixth distribution center in the Southeast, and while ALDI already has more than 30 stores in Montgomery, Birmingham and Huntsville, the Loxley distribution center will service as many as 100 stores in South Alabama, southern Georgia, Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle. According to probate records, ALDI has recently purchased property in Fairhope, Spanish Fort and Foley.
“We’re incredibly proud to continue growing in all aspects of our business, from opening new stores to enhancing our e-commerce offerings, especially in light of the challenges businesses have faced in the last year,” ALDI U.S. CEO Jason Hart said.
ALDI is on track to become the third-largest grocery retailer in the nation by 2022.
“Our commitment to our shoppers, new and existing, is the same — we will do everything in our power to offer the lowest possible prices every day — and we look forward to supporting more communities across the country with amazing ALDI products at a value that can’t be matched,” Hart added.
The company is also rolling out curbside pickup to many stores this year.
Ivey said, “We welcome the company’s plans for a regional headquarters and distribution hub in Loxley and we’re proud to stand behind ALDI’s commitment to bringing value to the people of Alabama and the Gulf Coast region.”
Loxley Mayor Richard Teal said the city was “ecstatic” to host ALDI, which is building its facility near a distribution center for ACE Hardware, which opened in 2000.
“We are eager for the new job opportunities that are to come for citizens as well as the economic growth and development for our community,” Teal said.
With plans to open the regional headquarters and distribution center in 2022, ALDI will seek new employees with postings on aldi.us.
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