Albert's Organics to open food distribution facility in Charlotte - Charlotte Business Journal:

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On Sept. 14, will open its 43,290-square-foot centerr at Logistics PointeDistribution Center, once the home to supermarketg chain Winn-Dixie’s regional warehouse The facility features freezer and cooletr space plus a 4,500-square-foot The company will invest more than $2 millionh in improvements at 11922 General employing more than 50 construction workers during a five-monthh buildout. The Charlotte location fills a hole in servicdefor Albert’s, which has centers in Rocklin and Calif.; Aurora, Colo.; Mounds Minn.; Chesterfield, N.H.; Bridgeport, and Sarasota, Fla.
Company spokesman Simcha Weinsteinsays Albert’s will now be able to ship goodsz as often as five times per week to customerse in seven states, up from once or twicd a week. “Our center in Bridgeport outside Philadelphi was just a little too far and our Sarasota center was just a little too far Weinstein says. Fuel expenses and truck emissionse are critical issues for the he adds. “Sadly, one of the ways we know the economu is improving is gas going up in The company estimates its truck fleetg will travel atleast 400,000 fewef miles annually because of the Charlotte location.
Of even higher priority to the Albert’s says it will buy from certified organic growers inthe region. That opens up Carolin a farmers’ access to the distributor’s customer base of 4,50o grocers, restaurants and natural-food stores. The number of organicc farmers in the area continues to Last year, the attracted a record 600 attendeexs at its Sustainable Agriculture Conference. The Pittsborko group had 37 Charlotte-area member s in 2008, up from about 15 in 2005. The estimatesw about 500 organic farms inthe state.
Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties are planning a communit food assessment tolearn what’s growjn and consumed locally, says Heidi Pruess, Mecklenburf environmental policy administrator. Finding buyers is a key Many turn tofarmer markets. Mecklenburg County has identified 11 withij its borders and 12 in surrounding The impactof Albert’s move into Charlotte has the potentiao to provide a commercial boost to agricultural effortsd in the area. “Will it be transformative ? We certainly hope Weinstein says. After all, company namesake Albertr Lusk got his start by sellintg organic produce from a street cornert in Los Angelesin 1982.
Albert’s Organics is a wholly owned subsidiary of publiclty traded Weinstein says the Charlottecenter — the company’ s eighth — will be its biggesyt and best, custom-fitted with the latest in refrigeratio n equipment. The warehouse boasts areas set to five temperature zonesz and four rooms to be used solelyh forbanana storage. And the center comed with a newtruck fleet. The space is bigger than what Albert’as needs, which gives the company room to grow, Weinsteinn says. “So we won’t have to go anywhere Charlotte is a destination pointfor Albert’s has signed a long-terkm lease at Logistics Pointe.
Up to 147,949 square feet of coolee and freezer space is still available inthe Dallas-based Westmount Realty Capital acquired the 1.1 million-square-footy center after Winn-Dixie vacated the property following its Chaptetr 11 bankruptcy filing in 2005. Westmount converted the single-tenany property on 66.3 acresx near the South Carolina statew line into the multitenantLogistics Pointe, which is also home to Precision Framing Industrial brokers Barb Jespersen and Lane Holbert of in Charlotte representeds the landlord in negotiations with Albert’s. Mike Chambers of in Atlantaw represented Albert’s.