CHICAGO — The Kraft Heinz Co. announced plans to build a $400 million automated consumer packaged goods (CPG) distribution center in DeKalb, Ill. Spanning 775,000 square feet, the facility will be one of the largest of its kind in North America, Kraft Heinz said, with a 24/7 automated storage and retrieval system.

“The DeKalb distribution center is expected to play a critical role in our larger distribution strategy, moving more than 60% of Kraft Heinz dry goods in North America through our automated facilities,” said Carlos Abrams-Rivera, Kraft Heinz executive vice president and president, North America. “It’s a testament to the dynamic, out-of-the-box thinking of our supply chain teams whose work enables us to operate with greater efficiency and agility every day.”

The new distribution center will be able to deliver double the volume to Kraft Heinz’s customers while helping to reduce the company’s environmental footprint. Through sustainable technology and reduced waste, Kraft Heinz will take a step closer to its ESG (environmental, social and governance) goals with this development.

“We’re driving end-to-end transformation across our entire supply chain, investing in automated technology and digitized solutions to increase the agility of our logistics operations,” said Erin Mitchell, vice president of logistics and head of network restructuring at Kraft Heinz. “The construction of our new DeKalb distribution center is the latest example of this transformation in action. We have designed it to help ensure the delivery of our delicious, innovative and iconic products at the right time for our customers and consumers for years to come.” 

To make Kraft Heinz’s vision a reality, the company has partnered with Trammell Crow Co., a global commercial real estate developer; Krusinski Construction Co., a general contractor; Daifuku, an integrated logistics automation provider; and the City of DeKalb and the DeKalb County Economic Development Corp. on the development of the facility. 

The facility is scheduled to be operational in 2025 and is expected to bring 150 new jobs to the DeKalb area.