Baldor Specialty Foods, a distributor of premium meat, fish, dairy, vegetables, fruits and grocery items in the US Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states, is broadening its restaurant and foodservice capabilities following the September 17 opening of a new warehouse in Lanham, The 100,000-square-foot facility is situated 12 miles away from metropolitan Washington, DC.
The distribution center, which has 35 dock doors and state-of-the-art frozen and refrigerated food storage capabilities, will enable the scaling of operations and facilitate greater delivery efficiencies. It provides employment for 140 people, with more personnel expected to be hired in the future.
Founded by Kevin Murphy in 1991, and now led by his son, CEO T.J. Murphy, Baldor is a family owned enterprise that prides itself on sourcing high-end and unique items, along with everyday necessities. The company supplies many of the top chefs in its regional market, including 75% of Michelin star restaurants.
“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,” said Murphy. “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 opportunities for our employees. With this move, we believe we have hit the trifecta.”
The Lanham facility will serve as the Baldor’s fourth hub, joining a network which includes sites in the Bronx, New York, Boston, Massachusetts, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company first launched operations in Maryland in 2012, with a small cross-dock platform in Jessup. Demand grew quickly, with the warehouse ultimately serving 1,000 of Baldor’s 14,000-plus total customers.
The distribution warehouse at Lanham will inventory 7,000 products and feature advanced picking capabilities. Its broad geographical reach will extend from Belair in the north, to the Maryland and Delaware beaches to the east, Richmond, Virginia to the south, and Frederick, Maryland to the west.
“This facility is 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, Maryland to Arlington, Virginia and everywhere in between,” said Dominic Vasold, the region’s director of operations.
Baldor’s 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.
