Sobeys adds warehouse for Thrifty division in B.C.
Sobeys on Monday announced that it will build a new distribution centre for its Thrifty Foods division on Vancouver Island.
Construction on the $31-million facility in Victoria is scheduled to begin by the middle of next year and be operational by late 2012. The 152,000-square-foot DC will be situated on 12 acres of land owned by the Victoria Airport Authority.
About half the space in the DC will be refrigerated. According to a statement from Sobeys, “the facility will add capacity to support future Thrifty Foods’ growth, and, at the same time, increase service levels to our 19 Vancouver Island and six Lower Mainland retail grocery stores.”
Thrifty Foods already operates three distribution centres. They handle shipments to the 25 corporate-owned stores in B.C. as well as to 60 independents through Thrifty’s wholesale division.
The new warehouse will replace the company’s Butler Crescent DC, which is situated about 30 minutes outside of Victoria. Staff at that facility will be given jobs at the new facility, said Erin Kelly, manager of communication for Thrifty Foods. However, the Butler Crescent facility will remain the company’s head office.
The new DC will include several sustainability features including waste recycling, heat capture, energy use monitoring, gas leak protection systems and environmentally farmed wood products in the construction process.
“Sobeys remains committed to the future growth and development of Thrifty Foods here on the island and across B.C.,” Bill McEwan, president of Sobeys, said in a statement.
Since N.S.-based Sobeys bought Thrifty Foods three years ago, it has upgraded eight stores, opened seven new stores and opened a warehouse in Surrey, B.C.
