ALDI, a discount grocery chain with over 2,000 stores in the United States, announced Tuesday plans to build its Gulf Coast regional headquarters and distribution center in Loxley, Alabama.
The new building will be 564,000 square feet and constitutes a $100 million investment for the company. ALDI says the regional HQ will bring 200 jobs to Baldwin County, and construction will begin in early 2021.
“We are eager for ALDI to expand its presence in our state,” said Alabama Governor Kay Ivey in a statement on Tuesday.
ALDI, first founded in Germany in 1961, bills itself as a “no-frills grocery shopping experience.” The privately held company opened its first American location in 1976 and has its United States headquarters in Batavia, Illinois. It employs over 25,000 individuals across 36 states.
The newly announced facility is ALDI’s first investment in Baldwin County. The chain operates 30 stores in Alabama, the large majority of which are in the Birmingham metro area.
“We are proud that ALDI has selected Loxley for this monumental investment,” said Richard Teal, mayor of Loxley.
ALDI is positioning the Baldwin County location as an anchor for a regional expansion into South Alabama, Louisiana and the Florida panhandle.
Dan Gavin, ALDI’s vice president of real estate, said in a release that the grocer is “ramping up our expansion plans to meet the growing demand along the Gulf Coast.”
The company plans to open 70 new locations across the United States in the coming months, with an eye towards being the country’s third-largest grocery chain by the end of 2022.
“ALDI’s growth and success will contribute to overall economic health and help meet the needs of our growing population. We welcome them to Baldwin County,” remarked Jeb Ball, Baldwin County Commission economic development chair.
ALDI purchased 160 acres just north of exit 44 on I-10 where the construction will take place. The chain expects the new building to be fully operational by the end of 2022.
Ivey concluded, “We’re proud to stand behind ALDI’s commitment to bringing value to the people of Alabama and the Gulf Coast region, and we welcome the company’s plans for a regional headquarters and distribution hub in Loxley that will create jobs for our hardworking citizens.”
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: henry@new-yhn.local or on Twitter @HenryThornton95
