Dot Foods celebrates groundbreaking of new distribution center in Canada

INGERSOLL, Ontario — Dot Foods Canada Inc., a subsidiary of Dot Foods, Inc., the largest food industry redistributor in North America, Thursday marked the official groundbreaking of the company’s new distribution center in Ingersoll, Ontario.

Dot is making a $50 million Canadian dollars investment with the new 168,875 square-foot facility at 100 Ken McKee Street. The Ingersoll distribution center will create 200 jobs in its first three to five years of operation.

“We are very strategic in determining the best place to build a new facility,” said John Tracy, executive chairman of Dot Foods Canada. “Ingersoll is a great location for us because of the workforce available here and the space available to support our future growth. We’re excited about the careers we have to offer and about the people who will join our Dot Foods Canada family. There’s a lot of opportunity for our distribution model in Canada, and we look forward to better serving our current customers and reaching new ones with the establishment of this distribution center.”

Dot initially established operations in Canada in 2016 with the purchase of Canadian food redistributor Marketwest. It set up distribution centers in Calgary, Alberta, and Brampton, Ontario. When the Ingersoll facility is complete in spring 2023, it will replace operations at the currently leased Brampton location. Dot has offered positions at the new facility to all employees who currently work at the Brampton location.  

Dot expects to hire 200 new employees from Ingersoll and surrounding areas in the next three to five years. These positions will largely be for warehouse workers and truck drivers, with some office and administrative roles. Hiring for truck drivers already is underway. Most of the other positions will be posted in late 2022/early 2023. 

Phase one of the Ingersoll distribution center will include offices and dry, refrigerated and frozen warehouse space. The L-shaped design of the building gives Dot the ability to easily expand all warehouse and office spaces in future years, up to as much as 350,000 square feet, to meet the company’s growing customer demand in Canada. Dot also plans to add on-site garage facilities to support the Dot Transportation Canada, Inc., fleet. 

“Dot Foods’ new distribution centre will be a wonderful addition here in Ingersoll. This new facility shows that our government’s commitment to making Ontario open for business is working. Together with businesses like Dot Foods, we are growing the economy and creating great, well-paying jobs right here in Oxford,” said Ernie Hardeman, MPP Oxford. “I am excited to see how Dot Foods’ philanthropic spirit will positively impact Ingersoll and surrounding communities. The company has pledged $50,000 in donations to five non-profit organizations in the area, and I commend Dot Foods’ and its employees’ dedication to volunteerism.”

The Ingersoll groundbreaking also marked the kickoff of Dot Canada’s charitable giving program at its newest location. Tracy announced $10,000 donations to five area nonprofit organizations:

• Salvation Army Food Pantry
• Operation Sharing
• Ingersoll Interchurch
• STICH Supper Club
• Alzheimer’s Society

All of Dot Foods’ U.S. locations have a charitable committee that approves grants and coordinates volunteer opportunities for employees within the company’s five charitable focus areas. Giving back to their community was a priority for Dot Foods co-founders Robert (RT) and Dorothy Tracy and continues to be a major focus for the company and its employees today.

These five recipient groups were selected by Dot for their close alignment with the company’s charitable areas of focus. Fighting hunger has always been a cornerstone of Dot’s philanthropic work; four of the recipient organizations play a big role in addressing food insecurity in and around Oxford County. The Alzheimer’s Society is another cause close to Dot’s heart. RT Tracy battled the disease.

“This is part of our commitment to being a good neighbor,” John Tracy explained. “My parents felt strongly that our company has a responsibility to do our part to support the community we call home. This is where our employees will live and work, so it’s important that we invest in the groups that are doing the important work of caring for this community. This is just the start. We look forward to supporting many more groups in the region with time, talent, and treasure as we get our Ingersoll facility up and running.”

Work on the Dot Foods Canada Ingersoll distribution center already is under way. Dot selected Maple Reinder as the design-builder of the project. Dot also will employ a substantial number of local and regional contractors on this project.

Founded in 1960 and headquartered in Mount Sterling, Ill., Dot Foods is North America’s largest food industry redistributor, serving all 50 states and more than 55 countries with a product offering of 125,000 items. Through Dot Transportation, Inc., an affiliate of Dot Foods, the company distributes foodservice, convenience, retail and vending products to distributors in all 50 states and more than 55 countries.