Food Lion, the fastest-growing and most profitable retail brand of Ahold Delhaize USA (ADUSA) will be adding its distribution system when it announced it will build a $860 million state-of-the-art distribution center in Burlington, NC (Guilford County).
The new facility is expected to grow the Dutch-owned retailer’s supply chain network, which serves ADUSA’s omnichannel grocery brands on the East Coast, which include Food Lion, Giant Food, The Giant Company, Stop & Shop and Hannaford. The new facility will add more than 1 million square feet of additional distribution infrastructure, delivering fresh and frozen grocery items to Food Lion stores.
“The investment into this facility is an investment into the customers who trust our brands to nourish their families,” said JJ Fleeman, CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA. “Through the new distribution center, ADUSA Distribution and ADUSA Transportation will expand their capacity to support Food Lion’s growth in the state, along with bringing new jobs. We’re excited to locate this facility in North Carolina and continue to grow our presence in a state where our companies have done business for more than 65 years.”
Construction on the new facility is expected to begin in 2026, with anticipated start of operations in 2029. Over time, the site is expected to employ more than 500 associates. To maximize efficiency, the site will leverage proven supply chain automation technology.
“At ADUSA Distribution and ADUSA Transportation, we pride ourselves on being an employer of choice and providing excellent service for the grocery brands we support,” said Sanja Krajnovic, chief supply chain officer, and EVP-ADUSA Distribution and ADUSA Transportation. “We appreciate the support of the city of Burlington, Guilford County and State of North Carolina in working with us on this project. We look forward to starting construction on the site soon, expanding our presence in the state and welcoming new associates as we prepare for the opening of the facility.”
For more than a decade, Food Lion has been the best performer among all ADUSA retail brands. The Salisbury, NC-based chain has also increased its same store sales for more than 50 consecutive quarters. The new Burlington depot will be the fourth Food Lion-dedicated DC, joining Salisbury, Butner and Dunn.
Overall, ADUSA’s supply chain network has one of the largest fleets on the East Coast with more than 8,000 assets, logging approximately 125 million miles annually.
