Last updated on June 13th, 2024
Dot Foods broke ground on Oct. 17 on its 12th distribution center. The $36 million facility will be constructed on 35 acres of land in Bear, Delaware, about 50 miles southwest of Philadelphia. The 188,000-s.f. facility will be located at 301 American Boulevard near the intersection of Red Lion and Wrangle Hill Roads.
The development will include offices; dry, refrigerated and frozen warehouse space; and a truck yard and garage to service Dot’s fleet.
“A lot of work has been done to get us to this day, and we are excited to move this project into the next phase,” said Dick Tracy, Dot Foods president. “Dot Foods Delaware joins our other two East Coast locations, in Maryland and New York, and will allow us to even better serve our customers in Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. We look forward to building relationships with many more people in the region as we become part of the Bear community.”
Dot Foods leaders were joined by state and county leaders to mark the occasion. Lieutenant Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester and Director Damian DeStefano of the Delaware Division of Small Business attended the groundbreaking ceremony, along with State Senator Nicole Poore and New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer, among others.
“We are so pleased to welcome Dot Foods to Delaware. With the creation of their facility and hiring of 200 plus employees, Dot will not only add valuable employment resources, but will become a critical member of Delaware’s economic fiber,” said Hall-Long. “This move reaffirms Delaware’s commitment to making our state stronger and healthier through quality sustainable growth.”
“It is wonderful to see Dot Foods break ground on its new facility here in Delaware,” said DeStefano. “This project would not have been possible without the help of our partners in New Castle County and the Delaware Prosperity Partnership. It shows to what we can achieve when we take a collaborative approach to economic development and why Delaware is an excellent place for businesses to grow and thrive.”
Dot will begin work on the Bear distribution center next month, with an estimated completion date for the project of fall 2019. Dot will hire up to 125 people in the first year, starting with truck drivers. The company has established a terminal location in nearby New Castle, Delaware, for its transportation operations at 194 S. Dupont Highway.
Hiring will get underway next spring. Dot plans to employ 200 people by 2022.
“I’m so thrilled Dot Foods is joining our community,” said Poore. “Dot is one of the nation’s most successful family businesses, and this groundbreaking is a testament not only to their success, but that Delaware and the greater Bear area are open for business. Dot has a longstanding record not only as a good employer and a valuable contributor to the local economy but as a responsible corporate citizen and as a participant in sustainability, charitable giving and empowering people from all backgrounds. We all share those values in Delaware, and I know that Dot will fit right in, both as an economic asset and as a neighbor to all of us.”
Dot Foods Delaware will be led by general manager Joe Little. Little will celebrate his 30th anniversary with the company in 2019. For the last five years, Little has served as the general manager of Dot Foods New York in Liverpool. He and his wife, Janna, are in the process of relocating to Delaware.
“Joe is an excellent leader and the best choice to head the start-up of Dot Foods Delaware,” said Tracy. “He bleeds Dot blue and has been instrumental in developing strong teams at several of our distribution centers. He’s as knowledgeable as it gets when it comes to our operations, and I know he’s going to apply his years of experience to do even more great work in Bear.”
Through Dot Transportation Inc., an affiliate of Dot Foods, the company distributes foodservice, convenience, retail and vending products to distributors in all 50 states and more than 35 countries.
Keep reading:
Sun Belle Opens New Refrigerated Distribution Center In Miami
Kroger Investing $17 Million In Northern Kentucky Distribution Center
