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125 new jobs coming to Hickory as wholesale grocery distributor expands

The company anticipates adding approximately 250,000 square feet to its perishable capacity at its Caldwell County facilities.

HICKORY, N.C. — Merchants Distributors, LLC (MDI), a wholesale grocery distributor founded in Hickory in 1931 will invest $35 million in a new expansion of its services and operations, creating 125 jobs, Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday.

The company anticipates adding approximately 250,000 square feet to its perishable capacity at its Caldwell County facilities.

"Businesses that call North Carolina home continue to thrive here,” Cooper said. “MDI knows firsthand the workforce, business and quality of life advantages North Carolina offers and it is great to see them grow once again in our state.”

MDI and its parent company Alex Lee, Inc. were founded in Hickory and maintain headquarters there, distributing both food and non-food grocery items to more than 600 retail stores across the United States and other locations.

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“Hickory, North Carolina has been our home for over 90 years, and we are excited to support our continued growth with another expansion at our Caldwell County facilities in the city of Hickory,” Brian George, Chairman and CEO of Merchants Distributors, said. “As our business continues to grow, demand for perishable products has increased the need for chilled warehouse space to service our customers and communities. North Carolina continues to support business growth and invest in workforce development which makes expanding at this location possible.”

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Although wages for the new jobs will vary depending on the position, the average salary will be $59,092, above the current average wage in Caldwell County of $43,905. The state and local area will see an additional impact of more than $7 million each year from the new payroll.

"It’s exciting to see a home-grown company continue to do so well in our state,” North Carolina Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders, said. “As our First in Talent strategic plan makes clear, North Carolina will continue to invest in our people and their training so we can maintain our best-in-class workforce that meets the needs of growing companies like MDI.”

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