Ahold Delhaize Breaks Ground on $860M, 1M+ Sq Ft Food Lion Center

Ahold Delhaize USA on Feb. 16 held a groundbreaking in Burlington for what the company called "more than $860 million" to build a fresh and frozen distribution center that will add over one million square feet of capacity and "create more than 500 new jobs over time," the company said in a press release. Company leaders and local officials marked the ceremonial start of construction at a site the company describes as on the eastern edge of the city.

Construction is underway and trade coverage reports the site is expected to begin operations in 2029. The facility will be operated with affiliates ADUSA Distribution and ADUSA Transportation and is intended primarily to support Food Lion while also serving other Ahold Delhaize USA grocery brands, the company said. "JJ Fleeman, chief executive officer of Ahold Delhaize USA, said the project is part of the company’s 'Growing Together' strategy to update its U.S. supply chain network," trade reporting noted.

The press release framed the investment as a strategic supply-chain modernization. "The more than $860 million investment represents a major milestone in Ahold Delhaize USA’s Growing Together strategy to modernize its supply chain and drive long-term growth for its U.S. brands," the company said, adding that the new center will support Food Lion, The GIANT Company, Giant Food, Hannaford and Stop & Shop. The company also highlighted its scale in the release, saying Ahold Delhaize USA serves 26 million omnichannel customers each week and comprises the largest grocery retail group on the East Coast and the fourth largest in the nation.

For Alamance County the headline numbers matter: more than 1 million square feet of refrigerated and frozen storage and 500-plus new jobs could shift local traffic, supplier relationships and labor demand on Burlington’s eastern edge. The announcement did not include an exact street address, a breakdown of the 500-plus jobs by role or wages and benefits, and the press materials did not list construction contractors or any public incentives tied to the project. Local officials attended the ceremony, but the company’s statement did not name Burlington or Alamance County leaders or provide a hiring timetable.

Trade coverage accompanying the release included an aerial rendering of the planned center and placed Burlington in the north-central part of North Carolina. Company materials and trade notes give a clear timeline target: construction underway now and operations scheduled or expected to begin in 2029. City permitting records, workforce development plans, and any tax or infrastructure agreements will be the next items to watch as the project moves from ceremonial groundbreaking to multi-year construction and hiring.