Stellar Breaks Ground on New Distribution Center for Dot Foods

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Aug. 26, 2022) — Stellar and Dot  Foods, North America’s largest food industry redistributor, celebrated the groundbreaking of a new distribution center in Manchester, Tennessee, during a ceremony today.

Stellar is the design-builder for the 179,000-square-foot greenfield project, which will expand Dot Foods’ Tennessee operations and create more than 250 new jobs within the first three years. Dot Foods has another distribution warehouse located in Dyersburg, Tennessee, which Stellar also designed and constructed in 2015.

“Stellar and Dot Foods have been working together for more than 25 years. We’re delighted to be entrusted once again with helping Dot Foods achieve their current and future business goals,” said Daniel Stilling, Stellar’s project developer on the Dot Foods project. “In addition to installing an ammonia refrigeration system and state-of-the-art employee health clinic, we’re taking extra steps to design a flexible facility that can expand and remain functional as customer demand increases.”

The new facility will house a 78,000-square-foot ammonia refrigeration cold dock, freezer and cooler area and an 83,000-square-foot dry storage area. The $50.5-million project scope also includes 17,000 square feet of office and welfare space as well as a 1,700-square-foot, on-site health clinic.

Designed to offer convenient, low-cost, high-quality health care for Dot employees and their families, the health clinic will include exam rooms, an on-site lab and all the equipment necessary to provide basic medical care, lab work and immediate medical attention for acute injuries.

“When we make the decision to establish a new Dot Foods distribution center, we do it to increase efficiency in our business and provide the best possible service to our customers,” said Joe Tracy, CEO of Dot Foods. “But the actual building is designed for our employees, and we strive to create the best work environment possible. Stellar’s team has performed excellent work for us in the past, and we’re excited to once again partner with them on our Manchester facility.”

Completion of the Manchester distribution center is scheduled for fall 2023. The center will be located at 600 Manchester Industrial Parkway. 

On the shovels:

  Brad Jensen, Dot Foods Facilities Project Manager
  Wyatt Payne, Senior Vice President, Stellar
  Daniel Stilling, Director of Project Development, Stellar
  Rich Raham, Dot Food Western Regional General Manager
  Martin Truong, Dot Foods General Counsel
  Anthony Soto, Dot Foods Manchester General Manager
  Dick Tracy, Dot Foods President
  Marilyn Howard, Manchester Mayor
  Gary Cordell, Coffee County Mayor
  Stuart McWhorter, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
  Bryan Langston, Dot Transportation, Inc. President
  Rush Bricken, State Representative
  Matt Holt, Dot Foods VP of HR

ABOUT DOT FOODS AND DOT TRANSPORTATION:
Dot Foods, Inc. carries 125,000 products from 1,020 food industry manufacturers making it the largest food industry redistributor in North America. Through Dot Transportation, Inc., an affiliate of Dot Foods, the company distributes foodservice, convenience, retail, and vending products to distributors in all 50 states and more than 55 countries. Dot Foods operates 12 U. S. distribution centers, which are in Bullhead City, Arizona; Modesto, California; Bear, Delaware; Vidalia, Georgia; Burley, Idaho; Mt. Sterling, Illinois; University Park, Illinois; Cambridge City, Indiana; Williamsport, Maryland; Liverpool, New York; Ardmore, Oklahoma; and Dyersburg, Tennessee. Dot’s 13th U.S. location will be located in Manchester, Tennessee. Dot Foods’ Canadian operations are in Toronto, Ontario and Calgary, Alberta. A new Dot Foods Canada distribution center is currently under construction in Ingersoll, Ontario. For information, visit DotFoods.com.