Vitacost expands its manufacturing and distribution facility

Vitacost.com Inc., an online retailer and direct marketer of health and wellness products, is expanding its east coast manufacturing and distribution facility in Lexington, North Carolina.

The company, No. 80 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide, will add approximately 113,000 square feet to its existing facility, increasing the total square footage to roughly 225,000. It also will equip the facility with new technology that will allow it to double the number of orders it can process from approximately 500 per hour to 1,000 per hour. Vitacost says it expects to be able to process up to 1,700 orders per hour with the updates. The state of North Carolina will provide up to $2.5 million in incentives to Vitacost.com as a result of the expansion. 

“We are pleased Vitacost has the opportunity to expand its operations in North Carolina and has qualified for certain state incentive programs,” says Ira Kerker, Vitacost.com’s CEO. “We have operated in North Carolina since 2008 and greatly appreciate the support of the state. Our new facility will not only greatly improve our efficiencies over time, but will provide the infrastructure needed to support the continued strong growth we expect to meet the demands of Vitacost’s growing healthy living and wellness customer base in the years to come.”