KeHE to open new distribution center in Arizona

This month, KeHE Distributors plans to open its 17th distribution center in Goodyear, Ariz.

Naperville, Ill.-based KeHE said Thursday that the 500,000-square-foot DC in Goodyear, a Phoenix suburb, will enable the company to provide faster distribution and improved service to key grocery retail customers in the Southwest region.

The new facility follows the openings of a 377,000-square-foot DC in West Ellettsville, Ind., last November — replacing a warehouse in Bloomington, Ind. — and a 550,000-square-foot DC in North East, Md., in October 2020.

KeHE's Goodyeart DC will bring over 270 jobs to greater Phoenix, including positions in operations, sales, merchandising, warehouse management and administration.

“KeHE is committed to serving its partners and bettering the communities in which we do business,” Chris Sieburg, executive vice president of warehouse operations at KeHE, said in a statement. “We chose Goodyear to expand our footprint due to its prime location. This will allow us to better serve KeHE’s key retail partners, such as Sprouts Farmers Market and Albertson’s Safeway, bringing KeHE’s expansive natural, organic, specialty and fresh product portfolio to the Arizona and Las Vegas markets.”

An employee-owned, B Corp-certified company, KeHE supplies natural, organic, fresh and specialty food, groceries and other products to more than 30,000 natural food stores, supermarket chains, independent grocery stores, online retailers and other specialty retailers across North America.

Besides the Arizona, Indiana and Maryland warehouses, KeHE operates DCs in Romeoville, Ill.; Breinigsville, Pa.; Douglasville, Ga.; Elkton and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Aurora, Colo.; Dallas and Flower Mound, Texas; Chino and Stockton, Calif.; and Portland, Ore., as well as three DCs in Canada (Mississauga, Ontario; Calgary, Alberta; and Surrey, British Columbia).

“The addition of the new facility will allow us to further our extensive growth plans while maintaining and enhancing the level of service our retailers expect and deserve,” Sieburg added.

KeHE's most recent opening was a 377,000-square-foot DC in West Ellettsville, Ind., last November that replaced a warehouse in Bloomington, Ind.

KeHE said the Goodyear DC will create more than 270 new jobs in the greater Phoenix area, including positions in operations, sales, merchandising, warehouse management and administration. Overall, the company has more than 5,500 employees.

“I am very pleased KeHE Distributors has selected Goodyear as the location of their new distribution center. KeHE is one of the top wholesale organic food, specialty, and fresh distributors in North America,” Goodyear Mayor Georgia Lord stated. “KeHE has a solid reputation for community engagement and making a difference both locally and internationally through the KeHE Cares Foundation.”

Plans call for the Goodyear DC to host several hiring opportunities, including a job fair on Oct. 13 and 14 at 10950 W. Northview Ave. in Glendale, Ariz., KeHE said.

“KeHE is an exciting addition to Goodyear’s thriving industrial ecosystem, and the expansion presents immediate career opportunities for Greater Phoenix residents,” commented Chris Camacho, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. “We’re excited KeHE is scaling in the region, and we look forward to being a partner in their long-term success.”