US Foodservice–Austin has broken ground on a new 290,000-square-foot, $50-million food distribution facility that will help it to better serve clients in south central Texas.
Construction on the new center at Turnersville Road and Hays County Road 118 in Buda TX is expected to be completed by October 2011. The sale of the 40-acre site was completed earlier in September.
John Fowler, US Foodservice–Austin division president, said, “Today’s event represents the opportunity to offer a wider range of products to our customers, increase our workforce, and operate from a more efficient, state-of-the-art building.”
Officials anticipate the current workforce of about 250 will grow to more than 400 over the next decade. Fowler said the new facility will allow US Foodservice–Austin to provide its 2,800 customers with:
•Nearly 25% more food and foodservice-related products
•More local and natural food choices
•More efficient delivery service
Road improvements around the site will soon be under way, funded initially through a Texas Capital Fund grant and Hays County funds, money that is expected to be recouped through US Foodservice tax revenues over a 20-year period.
The facility design meets the US Green Building Council’s LEED certification requirements for commercial buildings that cover environmental metrics including energy consumption, water usage, and air quality. Energy-efficient lighting, no-water landscaping, and better fleet management will be among the new building’s environmentally friendly features. Because of the location’s close proximity to Interstate 35, delivery trucks will have better access, resulting in reduced idle time and lower carbon emissions, Fowler said.
Located about 20 miles south of the current US Foodservice–Austin facility, the new site adds 100,000 additional square feet of warehouse space to the division’s current footprint. Dating to the 1960s, the current site is operating at 117% of capacity in a 184,000-sq-ft facility. The new site leaves plenty of room for future growth, with the potential to add up to 200,000 square feet to the facility.
US Foodservice offers more than 43,000 national, private label, and signature brand items and an array of services to its more than 250,000 customers. The company employs 25,000 associates in more than 60 locations.
Visit www.usfoodservice.com for more information.
