Landover, Maryland-based Giant Food, a greater Washington D.C. regional grocery chain, says it will expand its distribution warehouse in Jessup, Maryland, which serves all 163 Giant Food stores throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Delaware. The warehouse expansion will add more than 95,000 square feet, a 23 percent 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, VP 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 percent increase, to further streamline day-to-day operations.
The new warehouse space also will 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 also will supply product for Giant’s home delivery service, Giant Delivers, available to shoppers through the brand’s integrated e-commerce shopping experience on Giantfood.com.
The Giant Food warehouse 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.
