ISLANDIA, NY - According to Long Island Business News, Trader Joe’s is planning a major East Coast expansion with a 921,000-square-foot distribution facility proposed for Islandia, New York. The development would be one of Long Island’s largest single-user industrial projects and could generate up to 800 jobs. The facility is set to support 13 existing Trader Joe’s stores across Long Island, Brooklyn, and Queens, while positioning the retailer for further growth in the region.

The 66-acre site would house a 756,000-square-foot warehouse with cold storage, a 125,000-square-foot freezer building, and a maintenance structure. Currently served by a distribution center over 100 miles away in Bath, Pennsylvania, the new Islandia hub would significantly reduce travel time and improve logistics efficiency for nearby stores.

The property, formerly CA Technologies’ headquarters, was acquired by a joint ownership group after a friendly foreclosure in 2021. Originally slated for a multi-building development, the plan shifted when Trader Joe’s, represented by IDS Real Estate Group, began pursuing a build-to-suit opportunity. Approvals from the Village of Islandia and potential updates to economic incentives through the Islip IDA are still pending.

Check back with ANUK as we follow retail expansion and its impact on regional fresh produce distribution.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has filed an administrative complaint against Texas Produce Company Inc. for alleged violations of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). The company, operating from Texas, allegedly failed to make payment promptly to 12 produce sellers in the amount of $1,022,730 from Dec. 2022 through Aug. 2023.

Texas Produce Company Inc. will have an opportunity to request a hearing. Should USDA find that the company committed repeated and flagrant violations, it would be barred from the produce industry as a licensee for three years, or two years with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond. Furthermore, its principals could not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee for two years, or one year with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.

For more information, contact the Investigative Enforcement Branch, at (202) 720-6873 or [email protected].