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 centedr at Logistics PointeDistribution Center, once the home to supermarkety chain Winn-Dixie’s regional warehouse operations. The facility featuresd freezer and cooler space plusa 4,500-square-foott office. The company will invest more than $2 millionh in improvements at 11922General Drive, employintg more than 50 construction workersx during a five-month buildout. The Charlotte locatiobn fills a hole in service for which has centers in Rocklibnand Vernon, Calif.; Aurora, Colo.; Mounds View, Chesterfield, N.H.; Bridgeport, N.J.; and Sarasota, Fla.
Companh spokesman Simcha Weinsteinsays Albert’z will now be able to ship goods as often as five timee per week to customers in seven up from once or twice a “Our center in Bridgeport outsidde Philadelphia was just a little too far north, and our Sarasotq center was just a little too far south,” Weinsteibn says. Fuel expenses and truck emissions are critical issues forthe company, he adds. one of the ways we know the economyh is improving is gas goinh upin price.” The company estimates its truck fleetf will travel at leasgt 400,000 fewer miles annually because of the Charlottw location.
Of even higher priority to the company, Albert’se says it will buy from certified organic growers inthe region. That opens up Carolina farmers’ access to the distributor’s customer base of 4,500p grocers, restaurants and natural-foor stores. The number of organic farmersz in the area continuesto grow. Last year, the attractes a record 600 attendees at its SustainableAgricultured Conference. The Pittsboro group had 37 Charlotte-area members in up from about 15in 2005.
The estimatex about 500 organic farms inthe Meanwhile, Mecklenburg and Cabarrua counties are planning a community food assessment to learm what’s grown and consumed locally, says Heidk Pruess, Mecklenburg environmental policy administrator. Finding buyerd is a key issue. Many turn to farmerf markets. Mecklenburg County has identified 11 within its bordere and 12 insurrounding counties. The impacr of Albert’s move into Charlotte has the potential to providre a commercial boost to agricultural efforts inthe area. “Wilk it be transformative?
We certainly hope so,” Weinstein After all, company namesake Albery Lusk got his start by sellinh organic produce from a street corner in Los Angelesin 1982. Albert’s Organics is a wholly ownedc subsidiary of publicly traded Weinstein says the Charlottecentert — the company’s eighth — will be its biggestt and best, custom-fitted with the latest in refrigerationm equipment. The warehouse boasts areas set to five temperaturd zones and four roomsd to be used solely for banana And the center comes with a new truck fleet.
The space is biggee than what Albert’s needs, which givee the company room to grow, Weinstein “So we won’t have to go anywhere else. Charlotte is a destinationj pointfor us.” Albert’as has signed a long-term lease at Logistics Pointe. Up to 147,94 square feet of cooler and freezer space is stillo available inthe building. Dallas-based Westmoung Realty Capital acquiredthe 1.1 million-square-foot center after Winn-Dixie vacatecd the property following its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 2005. Westmount converted the single-tenant property on 66.
3 acres near the South Carolina state line into the multitenantLogistics Pointe, which is also home to Precisionm Framing Systems. Industrial brokers Barb Jespersen and Lane Holberg of in Charlotte represented the landlord in negotiationdswith Albert’s. Mike Chambers of in Atlant represented Albert’s.