Nash Finch Company Announces Acquisition of Distribution Center in Columbus, Georgia

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nash-Finch Company (Nasdaq:NAFC), a Minneapolis-based food distributor, yesterday announced the acquisition of a 400,000 sq. ft. warehouse distribution facility in Columbus, Georgia for its distribution business serving military commissaries and exchanges, representing a $20 million investment in the first three years of operation. The distribution center will be operated by MDV, which is headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, and recognized as one of the premier distributors worldwide providing service to military commissaries and exchanges.

“Our purpose at MDV is to serve our armed service heroes and their families, whether at home or abroad, by supplying products needed by the military to provide one of their most important benefits – the commissary,” stated Ed Brunot, President and Chief Operating Officer of MDV. Brunot continued, “This new Columbus distribution center complements our military distribution centers in the Southeast, allowing us to better serve the commissaries in that region. We look forward to joining the Columbus business community and hope to be able to add members of the Fort Benning community to our MDV family of associates. We appreciate the efforts of the City, the Development Authority and the Chamber of Commerce, whose assistance was invaluable in making this acquisition a reality.”

The new Columbus MDV distribution center is scheduled to begin making deliveries to commissaries in the late third or fourth quarter of 2010.

“In a state known for its twelve active military installations and commitment to service personnel and their families, Georgia is proud to be the new home of this MDV facility that will allow commissaries to better serve families at Fort Benning and beyond,” said Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “I join the Columbus community in celebrating the opening of this new distribution facility, and look forward to the positive economic impact for this area.”

A ceremony to celebrate the acquisition took place on December 17, 2009, at the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce located at 1200 6th Avenue in Columbus. Local dignitaries, including Mayor Jim Wetherington; Dick Ellis, Chairman of the Development Authority of Columbus, Russ Carreker, Chamber Chairman, and Mike Gaymon, President and CEO of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce, were in attendance. MDV representatives at the event were Ed Brunot, MDV President and COO, John Hird, MDV, Vice President of Distribution and Logistics, Jon Kitts, Vice President of Customer Service and Business Development, and Bo Stuart, Sr. Distribution Director - Columbus.

“Nash Finch is an exciting addition to our community,” said Columbus Mayor Jim Wetherington. “The new jobs being created will provide the region with new opportunities at a time when job growth has been tight. Congratulations and thank you for choosing Columbus as the home of your new facility.”

“Today’s announcement is exciting for our region,” concluded Russ Carreker, chair of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce. “Today is a good example of what team work can accomplish. In the latest Manpower survey, Columbus MSA was number one in the country for job outlook in first quarter 2010. Projects like today will keep us on top of the chart. Columbus is on a roll. We look forward to seeing this project succeed.”

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