Starbucks to add 300 jobs in Pa. as it expands distribution center

Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) announced on Thursday it will expand its distribution center in York, Pennsylvania, with an additional 1.2 million square feet of space, making the distribution center the coffee giant's largest in the world once it becomes fully operation in mid-September.

Starbucks estimates 300 new full-time jobs will be created over the next three to five years in York and the center will generate about $490 million in economic impact to the York area.

The distribution center will be adjacent to the Starbucks York Roasting Plant, which has been in operation for 21 years, employing more than 500 workers and roasting more than 3 million pounds of coffee weekly.

The expansion of the York Distribution Center will increase Starbucks' distribution capacity by about 35 percent, and it will support the company's deliveries to its more than 3,000 stores across the Northeast, parts of Canada, and parts of Europe.

“As we looked at our long-term growth plans for the business, and the current demands for distribution at scale, we needed to invest in additional capacity,” said Jim Wells, vice president of Starbucks Distribution and Supply Chain Operations.

"We’ve invested in the community of York for the past 21 years, and there's no better location to continue to grow our business and create jobs and economic development," Wells added.

Hillwood Investment Properties is the real estate developer for the project. The facility is the company's largest speculative project in the area to date.

“With numerous sites under construction, Hillwood sees continued growth and steady demand for industrial space in the market," said Gary Frederick, senior vice president and market leader for Hillwood’s Northeast U.S. industrial business.

Starbucks also plans to continue investing in its Starbucks Inclusion Academy, an on-the-job, six-week training program helping individual with disabilities get work experience in manufacturing, warehousing and distribution roles.

The York location is the second Starbucks facility to adopt the program.

Starbucks this year, after repeated shareholder requests, expanded its gluten-free options.

Source: Philadelphia Business Journal