Jan 12, 2010 9:01 AM

Gordon Food Service has purchased the Albertson’s LLC distribution center in Plant City FL. The 1-million-square-foot facility is on a 158-acre site in Hillsborough County off Interstate 4 between Tampa and Orlando FL.

Jim Gordon, president of Gordon Food Service, said, “We expect to begin shipping to our customers in central Florida from Plant City in the fall of 2010. Our Miami Distribution Center will continue to serve all of our Southern Florida customers as well as our cruise and international customers. Our Ocala Distribution Center will continue to serve select chain customers.”

“We are very pleased that Gordon Food Service has chosen Plant City for a major distribution center where they will employ over 350 people when the facility is operating at full capacity,” said Plant City Mayor Rick Lott.

Gordon Food Service entered the Florida market in 2003 with the purchase of Smart & Final Inc’s Florida foodservice direct-delivery and store businesses. In 2007, Gordon Food Service opened an additional distribution center in Ocala.

Gordon Food Service also operates nine GFS Marketplace stores in Florida and 132 stores in the United States. GFS Marketplace stores in Florida are in Brandon, Clearwater, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, Key West, Hollywood, Miami (two), and St Petersburg. Two more GFS Marketplace stores will be opened in 2010: one in North Tampa and another in Bradenton.

The Plant City facility will be the company’s 12th distribution center in the United States and its third in Florida. Gordon Food Service operates distribution centers in Grand Rapids and Brighton MI, Springfield OH, Shepherdsville KY, Greenville SC, Pottsville PA, and Ocala and Miami FL. A new distribution center in Kenosha WI will be operational in March 2010.