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Baldor Specialty Food has expanded its capabilities with the opening of a new 100,000-square-foot facility in Lanham, Washington DC, US.

Baldor Specialty Foods imports and distributes fresh produce and speciality foods, including meat, fish, dairy and grocery items, to a variety of customers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the US.

The expansion enhances Baldor’s ability to serve customers across Maryland, Washington, DC and Virginia, positioning it to meet the growing needs of the region's foodservice and retail sectors. According to Baldor, it serves ‘many of the best chefs in its region,’ including 75% of Michelin-star restaurants.

The Lanham facility includes 35 dock doors and new refrigeration and frozen storage capabilities. It will enable Baldor to scale its operations, increase delivery efficiencies and continue to source fresh, local products.

The site is Baldor’s fourth hub, joining its headquarters in the Bronx, New York, and regional hubs in Boston, Massachusetts, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

TJ Murphy, CEO and owner of Baldor Specialty Foods, said: “As our business has rapidly expanded in the Washington DC 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 maximise 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 site will house 7,000 products and feature advanced picking capabilities, with a delivery area that includes several major cities, including Baltimore, Annapolis, Richmond and the Washington DC metropolitan area.

Dominic Vasold, director of DC operations, Baldor Specialty Foods, added: “This facility represents the perfect harmony of proximity to our customers and proximity to talent. 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 optimise delivery time and routes, ensuring efficiencies from Annapolis to Arlington and everywhere in between...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 is also committed to sourcing from local farmers and suppliers, providing a platform for regional businesses to thrive and boosting the local economy.

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