Food Distributor Ben E. Keith Breaks Ground on Large DC in Florida - Modern Distribution Management

Food Distributor Ben E. Keith Breaks Ground on Large DC in Florida

The forthcoming DC is expected to create over 400 new jobs and will serve as the company’s Florida Division headquarters.
L to R: Joel Islam, Mike Rowell, Brian Lynch, Craig Woodcook, Louise Hallam, Robert Hallam, Jr., Robert Hallam, Howard Hallam, John Hallam, James Hallam, Andrew Hallam, John C. Hallam, Mike Sweet, Kevin Bullock, Marco Di Giosia.

Featured Photo: Ben E. Keith executives and local officials break ground on the company’s new distribution center in Alachua, FL. (Ben E. Keith Foods)

Fort Worth, TX-based food distributor Ben E. Keith Foods announced its forthcoming 707,000-square-foot distribution center located in Alachua, FL.

The state-of-the-art facility will cover 148 acres to house what the company called one of “Florida’s largest and technologically advanced DCs.”

Once construction is completed, the DC will serve as the headquarters for the company’s Florida Division and create over 400 news jobs throughout the next five years, in addition to the 230 employees currently working at its Gainesville operations.

Ben E. Keith Foods also said the new facility will accommodate 120 tractor-trailers and 105 dock doors, support round-the-clock operations and increasing capacity to serve both existing and new customers.

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“We acquired Florida Food Service in 2022 with a commitment to carry on the Islam family legacy, while uncovering new opportunities to expand and serve customers across the region,” Ben E. Keith Foods President Mike Sweet said in a Jan. 29 news release. “We are deeply committed to Alachua County and the surrounding communities in which we live, work and serve, and we look forward to many more years of shared success.”

With construction started in early 2025, facility completion is expected by fall 2026. The company said its continued growth across the Southeast U.S. reflects its commitment to serving customers throughout the Florida, Georgia and South Carolina regions.

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