CARLISLE, Pa., Nov. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The GIANT Company officially opened its new, state-of-the-art GIANT Direct E-commerce Fulfillment Center (EFC) at 3501 Island Ave. in Philadelphia today. This ultramodern 124,000 square foot facility will enable the company to serve more customers in Philadelphia and – for the first time in its 98-year history – in southern New Jersey.
In celebration of the grand opening, the company held a ribbon-cutting earlier today with remarks from Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, The GIANT Company President Nicholas Bertram, and Ahold Delhaize USA Supply Chain President Chris Lewis.
“Starting with the introduction of our GIANT Heirloom Market format in 2019 followed by the opening of our Philadelphia flagship Riverwalk GIANT in March and three more new stores across the city still to come this year, The GIANT Company has been laser-focused on how we can best serve Philadelphia families,” said Bertram. “Today is the culmination of more than two years of collaboration between our team, Ahold Delhaize USA Supply Chain, and our partners at Swisslog and AutoStore resulting in a state-of-the-art facility that will propel our GIANT Direct offering across greater Philadelphia and for the first time, southern New Jersey. Our new GIANT Direct EFC represents the future of grocery and the future of The GIANT Company, as we are one step closer to realizing our full omnichannel aspirations.”
“The GIANT Company’s presence in and commitment to Philadelphia benefits our city’s residents by offering quality groceries, good jobs, and community support,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “I’ve been pleased with and proud of GIANT’s work in Philly over the last few years and look forward to seeing the new facility in Eastwick serve its community and surrounding areas.”
“The opening of this facility is an exciting step forward as we continue to collaborate to evolve the supply chain network for the future,” said Lewis. “Solutions like micro-fulfilment centers will be an important part of the self-distributed network, positioned to serve customers whenever, wherever, however they want to shop.”
As part of The GIANT Company’s commitment to optimizing and growing GIANT Direct for delivery orders and in-store pickup, The GIANT Company is the first Ahold Delhaize USA company to implement this new EFC technology which streamlines order fulfillment by using the latest in robotics, machine learning, and vertical integration. The GIANT Company worked with Ahold Delhaize USA company Peapod Digital Labs, Swisslog, and AutoStore on the project.
Within the GIANT Direct EFC, two space-saving, 3D grids contain totes filled with fresh and non-perishable groceries. When a customer places a GIANT Direct order, team members work alongside a team of robots that quickly gather the items for bagging. After bagging, GIANT team members place orders into temperature-controlled totes and on to trucks for delivery to customers.
The GIANT Direct EFC offers a selection of product that mirrors a traditional GIANT store’s offerings. The facility will stock more than 22,000 products, enabling The GIANT Company to meet increasing customer demand with greater capacity, faster order fulfillment, and room to grow home grocery delivery. The center is expected to fulfill up to approximately 15,000 home delivery orders per week.
For the first time, starting Nov. 16, the facility will also provide GIANT Direct delivery to the New Jersey towns of Camden, Cherry Hill, Gibbsboro, Haddonfield, Marlton, Medford, Mount Laurel, and Voorhees. The company plans to introduce GIANT Direct to additional communities in southern New Jersey over the next several months.
Investing in the Eastwick Community through Jobs and Partnerships
Currently, the new GIANT Direct EFC employs more than 125 team members. With the busy holiday season fast approaching, the company is looking to hire an additional 125 team members. Available positions include delivery drivers, overnight crew, shoppers, and stockers. Offering a robust total rewards package and a starting wage of $16 an hour, individuals interested in joining The GIANT Company team are encouraged to visit giantfoodstores.com for more information.
As part of today’s celebration, The GIANT Company announced partnerships with and investments in several neighborhood organizations. The company donated a total of $5,000 to the Eastwick Community Garden for new equipment, a shed, and a beehive; the Eastwick Library for educational programming opportunities; and Fire Station Engine 69 to support fire station staff. In addition, a total of $3,000 was donated to the St. Paul's Food Pantry and Mission House, where The GIANT Company team members volunteered following today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The new facility builds on The GIANT Company’s strong presence in Philadelphia, which has grown from one store in 2018 to 10 by the end of 2023. In addition to three GIANT Heirloom Markets and its new Philadelphia flagship Riverwalk store, The GIANT Company will open a new store on Cottman Avenue on Friday, Nov. 12 followed by a GIANT on Columbus Boulevard and a GIANT Heirloom Market in the Fashion District by the end of the year.
The GIANT Company introduced the GIANT Direct brand in February 2019 when it debuted its first e-ecommerce hub in the city of Lancaster, Pa. Today, the company has more than 150 pickup locations and customers across 90% of the company’s footprint have access to online grocery ordering and delivery services. Earlier this year, The GIANT Company announced the launch of CHOICE Pass™ to its online GIANT Direct customers, providing unlimited free delivery and pickup for the price of $98/year.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Download photos and videos of the e-commerce fulfillment center as well as today’s event here.
About The GIANT Company
The GIANT Company believes that no matter where or how, when meals happen, families connect, and when families connect meaningfully, good happens. Guided by its brand platform, For Today’s Table®, the omnichannel retailer proudly serves millions of neighbors across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. A Great Place to Work™ certified company with more than 35,000 talented team members supporting nearly 190 stores, 132 pharmacies, 107 fuel stations, and over 150 online pickup hubs and grocery delivery service in hundreds of zip codes, The GIANT Company is changing the customer experience and connecting families for a better future. Founded in 1923 in Carlisle, Pa., The GIANT Company family of brands includes GIANT, MARTIN'S, GIANT Heirloom Market, GIANT Direct and MARTIN’S Direct. The GIANT Company is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA. For more information, visit the GIANT or MARTIN’S websites.
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Contact:
Ashley Flower
860-966-1727
ashley.flower@giantmartins.com
