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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Gordon Food Service Plans Distribution Hub in Westfield, Indiana

10/10/2019
Gordon Food Service, a privately-held, family-managed food service distributor, plans to establish a distribution center at NorthPoint Industrial Park in Westfield, Indiana.

The company, which currently operates multiple Gordon Food Service stores across Indiana, plans to create more than 400 new jobs by the end of 2025.

Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Gordon Food Service is expanding its distribution network to support its overall sales growth in the Midwest. The company will make a substantial investment over the next few years to construct and equip a new, 500,000-square-foot warehouse facility at the NorthPoint Industrial Park in Westfield. The facility will boast innovative automation technologies with state-of-the-art, efficient design and will house three temperature zones for product control.

Equipped with advanced technology, the facility will move products efficiently throughout the warehouse using loaders, shuttles, cranes and conveyors. Additionally, the new building will include office space and a Concept Kitchen to help customers with menu development and provide culinary demonstration. Construction is set to begin in spring 2020, and the facility is expected to be operational by the end of 2021 pending local zoning approval.

“Our roots are in the Midwest, where our business has steadily increased for decades, and we continue to grow by offering customers great service and an even wider range of products,” says Rich Wolowski, Gordon Food Service President & CEO. “We saw an opportunity to place a new distribution center in a strong, established market, giving us the ability to deliver more efficiently to our customers.”

Gordon Food Service, which employs approximately 20,000 people across its U.S. and Canada locations, will begin hiring in late spring 2021 for positions in warehouse operations, transportation, sales and administration.

Pending approval of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) board of directors, the IEDC will offer Gordon Food Service up to $5 million in conditional tax credits based on the company’s job creation plans. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Westfield will consider additional incentives.

"It's an extremely exciting day for Indiana as we celebrate another fantastic company growing in our state and creating hundreds of quality career opportunities for Hoosiers," said Governor Eric J. Holcomb. "With options all over the Midwest and around the world, Gordon Food Service chose Indiana to launch its new distribution center, and I couldn't be more grateful. We'll continue working to take Indiana's business environment to the next level, ensuring their future success in Indiana."

Founded in 1897, Gordon Food Service has grown to become the largest privately-held food service distributor in North America. This will be the company's first distribution center in Indiana and the company's 17th in the United States. The company also operates 19 Gordon Food Service Store locations in Indiana and more than 175 in the United States.

“I am thrilled to welcome Gordon Food Service to Westfield,” said Westfield Mayor Andy Cook. “We have worked hard to create a caring community that can attract and sustain this kind of investment. From experience, I am well aware that Gordon Food Service is an employee and community-minded company. They will fit in perfectly here in Westfield.”

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