Supervalu subsidiary Save-A-Lot opens 330,000-sq.-ft. food distribution center in Lexington, North Carolina; Save-A-Lot operates nearly 1,300 stores in 39 states, plans to expand to 2,400 in coming years

Cindy Allen

ST. LOUIS, Missouri , November 30, 2011 (Save-A-Lot) – Save-A-Lot, one of the nation’s leading hard-discount grocery retailers and a wholly owned subsidiary of SUPERVALU (NYSE: SVU), will celebrate the grand opening of its new 330,000-square-foot food distribution center in Lexington, N.C., on Nov. 30. Construction on the state-of-the-art facility, which is located in Lexington’s Business Center, began in January.

The new Save-A-Lot distribution center will employ 35 employees initially with the potential for hiring additional employees once the facility reaches full capacity. The project is the result of collaboration with the state of North Carolina and its One North Carolina Fund, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Davidson County and the City of Lexington.

The grand opening ceremony, which will be held at 10 a.m. on Nov. 30, will include remarks by Davidson County Board of Commissioners Chairman Tommy Hedrick, Davidson County Board of Commissioners Vice President Larry Potts and Lexington Mayor John Walser, as well as a ribbon cutting and guided tours of the building.

“This project represents an investment of more than $24 million in North Carolina,” said John Gerber, Save-A-Lot vice president of distribution. “We are committed to growth in the region. We completed construction ahead of schedule and are thrilled to now be able to begin serving our Save-A-Lot stores throughout the area.”

Save-A-Lot to grow in the region

Save-A-Lot operates nearly 1,300 stores in 39 states and has identified plans to expand the number to 2,400 in the coming years. Currently, there are nearly 30 Save-A-Lot stores in North Carolina, including one in Lexington. The company plans to open an additional three stores in the state by March 2012. The new distribution center will help support the company’s growth plans in North Carolina and surrounding states, which the company has identified as a key region for its growth. Initially, it will service more than 70 stores within a 150-mile radius.

The new distribution center features the latest in green, energy-saving technologies, including lights that only operate when a person is present and an HVAC system with smart thermostats.

The distribution center is located at 133 Lexington Parkway in Lexington, N.C.

Save-A-Lot helps local charitable organizations

To commemorate the opening of the new distribution center, Save-A-Lot is donating $10,000 to community organizations in Lexington, including $5,000 each to Pastor’s Pantry and Communities in Schools of Lexington-Davidson Country.

“Serving our growing client list requires a tremendous amount of food, and donations and other sources of groceries for us have been down this year,” said Bill Keesler, executive director, Pastor's Pantry. “Save-A-Lot’s donation is a badly needed boost for our efforts to feed hungry Davidson Countians. We greatly appreciate Save-A-Lot’s generosity and look forward to continuing to work with Save-A-Lot and its associates in the future.”

About Save-A-Lot Food Stores

Save-A-Lot, a SUPERVALU (NYSE: SVU) company, is one of the nation’s leading hard discount carefully selected assortment grocery chains, operating nearly 1,300 stores in 39 states from Maine to California. Serving more than five million shoppers each week, Save-A-Lot offers savings of up to 40 percent on groceries when compared to conventional stores. Customers enjoy savings on exclusive Save-A-Lot brands and national brands, plus fresh meat and farm-fresh fruits, vegetables and dairy, along with the most popular grocery and household items. Save-A-Lot helps its customers live richer, fuller lives by saving them money and time through a smart, convenient shopping experience featuring great food, great prices and great people every day. For more information on Save-A-Lot or to locate a store, please visit www.save-a-lot.com.

* All content is copyrighted by Industry Intelligence, or the original respective author or source. You may not recirculate, redistrubte or publish the analysis and presentation included in the service without Industry Intelligence's prior written consent. Please review our terms of use.