SpartanNash Opens Produce Distribution Center in Fargo, N.D.

SpartanNash Co. celebrated the grand opening of its new 80,000-square-foot produce distribution center in Fargo, N.D., which has a capacity for 1,600 items, 300 of which are organic, and is solely dedicated to produce and floral distribution.

The $10 million investment created 30 jobs and includes state-of-the-art avocado and banana ripening rooms featuring organic flash sustainable technology for improved shelf life and color consistency, along with three dedicated temperature zones for optimal product storage and a large variety of fresh plants and floral available for next-day delivery. The facility also features energy-efficient LED Green illumination technology to reduce heat, environmentally sustainable refrigeration and non-CO2 emitting industrial warehouse equipment to promote sustainability, the distributor said.

“SpartanNash is committed to delivering best-in-class products throughout our supply chain, and today, that commitment now includes fresher-than-ever produce and floral options for customers serviced out of the state-of-the-art Fargo Produce Distribution Center,” said Walt Lentz, president of food distribution for Grand Rapids, Mich.-based SpartanNash. “This facility highlights our commitment to our customers, independent retailers and the Fargo community as a whole.”

The facility will carry an expanded cut fruit and vegetable product line as well as a variety of fresh juices and beverages, dressings, snacks and nuts, and specialty and tropical produce. SpartanNash said the center would support the company's commitment to local growers and producers by carrying locally grown red and russet potatoes, tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, sweet corn, cabbage and apples as seasonally available.

As the sixth-largest wholesale food distributor in the nation, SpartanNash’s Fargo Produce Distribution Center will serve its own corporate-owned retail stores and independent retail customers in surrounding states. SpartanNash also owns and operates 10 Family Fare and Dan’s Supermarket stores in North Dakota, as well as a 289,000-square-foot distribution center in Fargo that distributes grocery, meat, dairy and frozen items.