The city granted a permit May 12 for German discount grocer Aldi to renovate its Baldwin distribution center at a project cost of $21.83 million, the second permit in a week that allows it to launch work toward a $35.1 million conversion for its use in 2027.
Aldi is leasing the Baldwin distribution center as it expands throughout the Southeast after acquiring more than 200 stores from what is now The Winn-Dixie Company LLC.
Aldi, with U.S. headquarters in Batavia, Illinois, proposes to renovate 1.12 million square feet of storage and distribution space at the 15500 W. Beaver St. facility in West Jacksonville.
The city issued a permit May 5 for a $13.31 million project to renovate 729,209 square feet.
The May 12 permit allows an interior alteration to the existing 391,600-square-foot perishable and distribution warehouse.
The permits show A M Construction Co. LLC will renovate the perishable and dry goods storage and distribution facilities. The contractor is part of Charlotte, North Carolina-based A M King, a design-build firm focused on the food processing, food distribution and cold storage, industrial and corporate markets.
The city issued a permit March 5 for a fire alarm system alteration at a project cost of $2,400.
Aldi confirmed Jan. 16 that it plans a distribution center in the former C&S Wholesale Services facility to support its nationwide expansion.
Aldi Regional Vice President JR Perry said then by email the center is planned at West Beaver Street where C&S Grocers leased a 1.2 million-square-foot facility on 200 acres.
C&S Wholesale Services, also called C&S Wholesale Grocers, closed that center in July 2025.
Perry said Aldi had “begun transitioning the Baldwin distribution center.”
The center serviced Winn-Dixie, which Aldi acquired as part of its purchase of the store’s parent company, Jacksonville-based Southeastern Grocers, in 2024, now rebranded The Winn-Dixie Company.
In 2025, Aldi sold back about 170 stores to Southeastern Grocers after the company was acquired by a consortium of private investors, including C&S.
C&S began working with Winn-Dixie in 2013 when the grocer merged with Greenville, South Carolina-based Bi-Lo Holdings to form Southeastern Grocers. C&S had worked with Bi-Lo since 2005.
“As Aldi accelerates its rapid national growth, with plans to open more than 180 new stores in 31 states in 2026 alone, we are committed to scaling our infrastructure to meet increasing customer demand,” Perry said.
“As part of this expansion, we have begun transitioning the Baldwin distribution center to better support our mission of offering high-quality products at the lowest prices of any national grocery store,” he said.
“We are making significant investments to upgrade this facility, with plans to open its doors in 2027. This expansion will not only enhance our supply chain capabilities but also create hundreds of new jobs with competitive pay and benefits, further strengthening our presence and positive contributions to the local community.”
In April 2025, C&S Wholesale Services notified the state and Baldwin that it was closing, eliminating about 490 employees.
The Baldwin distribution center is one of three announced by Aldi Jan. 12, with others being a Goodyear, Arizona, center planned for 2028 and an Aurora, Colorado, center projected for 2029.