Albert

The 43,000-square-foot facility, slated to open in September, will service grocers, restaurants and natural food stores throughout the region and open up new markets for certified organic growers in the region.

The Charlotte location reportedly fills a hole in service for Albert’s, which has centers in Rocklin and Vernon, California; Aurora, Colorado; Mounds View, Minnesota; Chesterfield, New Hampshire; Bridgeport, New Jersey; and Sarasota, Florida.

Company spokesman Simcha Weinstein said in the Business Journal report that the company will now be able to ship goods as often as five times per week to customers in seven states, up from once or twice a week. “Our center in Bridgeport outside Philadelphia was just a little too far north, and our Sarasota center was just a little too far south,” Weinstein said. The company also expects to travel an estimated 400,000 fewer miles annually by having a distribution center located in Charlotte.

Albert’s Organics, a division of United Natural Foods, stocks more than 250 seasonal fruits and vegetables, plus other organic foods including meats, cheese, juices and nuts. The company defines “local foods” as goods produced/grown within 150 miles of a distribution center and “regionally grown” foods produce/grown within 250 miles.

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