Winn-Dixie, the supermarket chain, opened a 1 million-square-foot distribution center on Tuesday in Opa-locka.
The center replaces a smaller one in Hialeah, and will distribute all Winn- Dixie groceries south of State Road 84, and frozen food and dairy products north through Stuart. A 750,000-square-foot center in Pompano Beach serves north of 84.
Winn-Dixie officials said the new $40-million-plus warehouse will help further its expansion plans in South Florida.
Winn-Dixie has 135 stores in seven counties in its Miami district, and plans to build five to six more a year. Some of the new stores will replace existing stores.
The chain has 45 stores in Broward County and 37 in Palm Beach.
Its next store will open next week on Coral Way in central Dade County, said Winn-Dixie spokesman Terry Walsh.
The center, scheduled to start shipping on Feb. 24, will employ about 350, up from 300 at the Hialeah center.
The million-square-foot center, on a 56-acre site, is about equal in space to the Broward Mall.
The grocery warehouse has 31-foot ceilings and 56 truck loading bays.
