Baldor Specialty Foods says it has opened a new facility in the Washington, D.C., area Sept. 17, expanding its restaurant and food service capabilities.
Located on the Hargrove Industrial Campus at 4450 Hargrove Drive in Lanham, Md., the new 100,000-square-foot warehouse is only 12 miles away from metropolitan Washington and close to major highways, according to a news release. Baldor, a distributor of premium and specialty produce, meat, fish, dairy and grocery items in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, said the expansion enhances its ability to serve customers throughout Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
The facility, which includes 35 dock doors as well as refrigeration and frozen storage capabilities, will enable Baldor to scale its operations, increase delivery efficiencies and continue sourcing fresh, local products, the release said. The operation also supports local employment, with 140 employees at present and plans to hire more, including drivers and warehouse staff, the company said.
Baldor says it prides itself on sourcing high-end and unique items, along with everyday necessities and services of many of the best chefs in its region, including 75% of Michelin-star restaurants. With this new facility, the company said is positioned to meet the growing needs of the region’s foodservice and retail sectors.
“Our commitment at Baldor is to our customers, our vendor partners and our employees — everything we do needs to be a win for all three,” said Baldor owner and CEO TJ Murphy. “As our business has rapidly expanded in the Washington area, we knew we needed a facility that could match the pace of our growth and support our commitment to getting our customers the best products as efficiently as possible. At the same time, we wanted to maximize product sales for our vendors, and bring on more local farmers and producers, while also increasing career and salary opportunities for our employees. With this move, we believe we have hit the trifecta.”
The Lanham facility will serve as the fourth hub for Baldor’s operations, joining the company’s headquarters in the Bronx, N.Y., and regional hubs in Boston and Philadelphia. Baldor first launched in the area in 2012 with a small cross-dock facility in Jessup, Md., the company said, with the facility ultimately serving 1,000 of the company’s 14,000-plus total customers.
Baldor said it sought out the Lanham property in November 2022. A full warehouse eight times the size of the former cross-dock facility, the Lanham property will house 7,000 products and feature advanced picking capabilities. The new facility will serve a broad geography marked by Belair, Md. in the north, the Maryland and Delaware beaches to the east, Richmond, Va. to the south, and Frederick, Md. to the west. That delivery area includes several major cities, including Baltimore, Annapolis, Richmond and the Washington metropolitan area.
The lease signing marked the start of extensive renovations, including the installation of temperature-controlled refrigeration and freezing rooms to ensure optimal storage conditions for Baldor’s diverse range of perishable products, according to the release. This work was completed, and all products and accounts were migrated to the new warehouse in September.
“This facility represents the perfect harmony of proximity to our customers and proximity to talent,” said Baldor Specialty Foods Director of D.C. Operations Dominic Vasold. “We’re sitting close to the intersection of I-495 and Route 50, and we’re not far from I-95 and I-295. This allows us to optimize delivery time and routes, ensuring efficiencies from Annapolis, Md. to Arlington, Va. and everywhere in between. Prince George’s County has the right workforce for our needs. Plus, the size of this facility allows us to store large volumes of diverse products very effectively. Also, we’ve left ourselves with lots of room to grow, as we forecast a strong trajectory in the region.”
Baldor said its investment in the Lanham area goes beyond the operational advantages of the new facility. The company is also committed to sourcing from local farmers and suppliers, providing a platform for regional businesses to thrive.
“This new facility is an investment in our customers and a testament to our track record of meeting their needs over the last 12 years,” said Bill Hodge, director of mid-Atlantic sales. “Just as our customers have committed to choosing Baldor, we have committed to providing them with the best possible ingredients and service day in and day out. We practice a culture of continuous improvement, and we saw an opportunity to do even better for our customers. I’m especially excited about the opportunity to provide a greater number of locally farmed and produced products to the chefs in our region.”
