Trader Joe’s announced it will build a 1 million-square-foot food assembly and distribution center in Palmdale, Calif., that’s expected to employ up to 1,000 workers. Construction is scheduled to begin in December and be completed at the end of 2024.
The 104-acre project site will include three buildings — an 827,000-square-foot “hub” building, a 211,000-square-foot freezer facility and a 6,000-square-foot accessory building, reports the Whittier Daily News. It will support Trader Joe’s stores throughout Southern California.
“We are thrilled that Trader Joe’s has selected Palmdale as a destination to expand their business with their new food assembly and distribution facility,” Mayor Laura Bettencourt said in a statement.
Bettencourt said the project aligns with the city’s “commitment to economic vitality, innovation and job creation,” and will likely spur additional industrial development in Palmdale. It will also bring more property tax revenue to the city.
City officials said it will be Trader Joe’s first distribution center in Los Angeles County and the company’s largest logistics facility in California. The company operates additional distribution facilities in Fontana and Stockton.
The Trader Joe’s distribution complex will be Palmdale’s third largest facility, behind Northrop and Lockheed’s operations at Air Force Plant 42, city officials said.
Founded in 1967 in the L.A. area, Trader Joe’s has since expanded to include more than 500 stores in 42 states and Washington, D.C.