LOXLEY – ALDI grocery stores have been opening across the Gulf Coast, bringing with them another option for grocery shopping and employment.

The newest piece to ALDI’s growing local footprint, a 564,000-square-foot regional headquarters and distribution center, celebrated its completion with state and local officials Jan. 31 in Loxley.

Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, and Loxley Mayor Richard Teal joined Heather Moore, ALDI divisional vice president for the Loxley region, to officially cut the ribbon at the facility.

The Loxley facility will serve over 8 million Gulf Coast residents, support as many as 100 stores in Alabama, the Florida panhandle, southern Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana and provide approximately 200 new jobs to the Loxley area and over 300 jobs in the Gulf Coast region.

Moore said Loxley’s central location for the grocery chain’s Gulf Coast region, which spans from Tallahassee, Florida, to Layfette, Louisiana, and the city’s access to the interstate were two key factors for ALDI choosing the Baldwin County spot. Another key was a talented workforce.

“We need to know that when we drop a 564,000-square-foot facility, we can hire people. Not only people but motivated, good people that are going to be with us for many years,” Moore said. “We knew we could do it here. Baldwin County is growing so quickly, and there are lots of people moving to the area, but we knew the talent pool in Baldwin County was phenomenal, and we haven’t been wrong.”

ALDI opened its first two stores in Baldwin County last year in Foley and Daphne. ALDI Fairhope is slated to open March 2.