WinCo Foods Selects Turn-Key Contractor for New Massive Food Distribution Center on West Coast

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Privately held discount grocery chain WinCo Foods Incorporated (Boise, Idaho) is planning to build a new massive food storage and distribution center on the West Coast in California. WinCo is forecasting growth in the West Coast region and plans to open new stores in Modesto, Los Angels and San Diego California. The company has plans to reach new markets as far away as Las Vegas, Nevada and needs larger distribution capabilities to support the expansion.

Plans are to construct a 720,000 square foot storage and distribution center with dry, cooler and freezer space and multiple truck loading/unloading docks for general grocery store items and an office area plus a truck maintenance shop. The company has selected A. Epstein & Sons International Inc. (Chicago, Illinois) as the turn-key contractor for the $40+ million project. Site work and preparation efforts should begin within the next month and completion of the center is expected by the second quarter of 2004.

The facility will be located in Ceres, California on Crows Landing Road and Highway 99 and will give the company easy access to Interstate 5. The plant will create 200 new jobs initially and employment could grow to over 500 once the new stores throughout the region begin to open.

Founded in 1970 under the Waremart name by Ralph Ward and Bud Williams, WinCo became an employee owned company back in 1985. The company operates 40 stores in five states.