Walmart Adds Texas Distribution Center to Growing Grocery Network
Walmart recently celebrated the grand opening of a new 730,000-square-foot perishable distribution center (PDC) in Lancaster, Texas. The new facility, located 15 miles south of Dallas, receives and processes fresh produce, eggs, dairy, flowers and frozen goods for delivery to nearby Walmart stores. The new PDC is Walmart’s second Lancaster-based facility, following a next-generation fulfillment center that opened there in 2023.
Perishable distribution centers are a strategic part of Walmart’s supply chain transformation and keep its more than 4,600 U.S. stores stocked with fresh and frozen merchandise. The Lancaster facility is Walmart’s second of five new high-tech PDCs. The first of its kind opened in 2021 in Shafter, Calif. Walmart is also set to open sites in Wellford, S.C.; Belvidere, Ill.; and Pilesgrove, N.J.
These facilities employ state-of-the-art technology that enables the retailer to process more than double the volume of a traditional DC, getting items onto store shelves faster than ever before. According to the company, employees work with high-tech systems to create the perfect pallet, with fragile merchandise such as eggs and yogurt toward the top, which drastically reduces the number of boxes an associate has to manually stack. The store-ready pallets are built by department, making them easier to unload at the store. This helps maximize space on trucks, reduce transportation costs and create savings that can be passed on to customers.
The technology also provides new career opportunities and pathways for Walmart associates. The Lancaster facility, located at 940 East Pleasant Run Road, is home to more than 500 full-time Walmart employees.
“We’re proud to create new opportunities for our associates, equipping them with the skills to manage the advanced robotics technology transforming our business,” said Ervin Goad, general manager of the new facility. “Associates at the Lancaster facility will play a pivotal role in making sure our customers have the items they want, when they want them.”
The retailer is currently hiring for a variety of tech-focused positions.
Walmart serves Texas customers at 590 retail units and online through Walmart.com. The retailer employs more than 176,000 associates in Texas, and supports local business across the state, spending $100.8 billion with suppliers in fiscal year 2024 and supporting 300,015 supplier jobs.
Each week, approximately 255 million customers and members visit Walmart's more than 10,500 stores and numerous e-commerce websites in 19 countries. With fiscal year 2024 revenue of $648 billion, the retailer employs approximately 2.1 million associates worldwide. Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart U.S. is No. 1 on Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named Walmart one of its Retailers of the Century.
