Plans for the 250,000-square-foot expansion were unveiled this morning at a press conference. MEGA agreed to give Meijer a 12-year property tax break, as well as a $35,000 grant for state job training. Meijer's facility will total nearly 1.2 million square feet by the time construction completes.

By doubling the distribution plant's size Meijer will be creating 366 jobs over the next five years. About 190 of those will be directly linked to Meijer, with 176 indirectly linked to the Meijer as a result of the economic growth that is likely to be created in the area with a larger distribution center.

"I'm thrilled that, as Meijer moves into its 75th year of doing business, we are able to continue our long-standing pattern of growth and investment in the State of Michigan," says Mark Murray, Meijer president. "Our Newport facility is a key part of our supply chain, and the expansion of this distribution center is critical to Meijer as we are poised for more growth in the Midwest and Michigan."


The Newport distribution center ships products to more than 45 Meijer locations daily, and is only one of four facilities located in the Midwest. The other distribution centers are located in Grand Rapids, MI; Lansing, MI; Tipp City, OH; and Middlebury, IN. Meijer owns more than 185 supercenters throughout the Midwest, in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.