Horizon Distributors, Western Canada’s largest distributor of organic, natural and gourmet products in the dry, chill and frozen categories, is pleased to announce that it has accepted terms of agreement reaffirming Horizon as the primary distributor to Whole Foods Market® in Western Canada.

Whole Foods Market® of Austin, Texas operates 270 stores in North America and the UK. Whole Foods Market® currently operates six locations across Canada, including four in Western Canada under the Capers Whole Foods Market banner, situated in the Vancouver area. With ongoing plans for expansion, a fifth store is currently under construction and due to open in late 2008.

A privately owned Canadian company located in the suburbs of Vancouver, BC, Horizon Distributors will be moving operations to a new 150,000 square foot facility in late May 2008 to accommodate its ongoing expansion. Since 1976, Horizon has grown from its roots as a worker-owned cooperative to its position today, leading a group of six regional distributors nationally. Horizon maintains a listing base of more than 4,000 SKUs and provides consistently high in-stock rates and excellence in customer service.

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Horizon Distributors is excited to announce our new 150,000 square foot distribution centre located in the Glenwood Business Park in South Burnaby, BC, near the Queensborough Bridge exchange. This new facility has been custom designed to enable us to enact our business strategies and meet our growth expectations over the next 10–15 years and beyond. [image]

We are bursting at the seams of our current North Burnaby location—83,000 square feet is simply not enough space to allow us to keep up with the tremendous growth that we have experienced in the past five years. Due to improved logistics and expanded space, our new location will ultimately double our capacity in dry goods and more than triple our cooler/freezer capacity. Our new location boasts:

• 137,000 square feet of total warehouse space;
• 7,200 square feet of chill capacity including a full cold chain;
• 10,800 square feet dedicated to frozen products.

We'll be ready for your orders on June 3, 2008. Watch us grow!

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“Build to suit” distribution centre offers more than 150,000 sq. ft.

Horizon Distributors, Western Canada's largest distributor of organic and natural foods, announced today that operations will commence from its new facility in South Burnaby on Tuesday, June 3.

According to Horizon's General Manager, Terri Newell, "This new building, which effectively doubles our warehouse capacity, will allow us to keep pace with our vibrant growth, as well as enhance our leadership position within our industry." With a newly inked agreement confirming Horizon Distributors as the primary supplier to Whole Foods Market® and Capers Whole Foods Market® in Western Canada, and its preferred supplier status with Planet Organic Market, Horizon has long since outgrown its current facility.

Work on the new site began in Spring 2007. At 150,000 square feet, the new distribution centre, located at 5589 Trapp Avenue in South Burnaby's Glenwood Industrial Estates, includes 137,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space and a complete cold chain with increased cooler and freezer space to fulfill the market demand for more fresh and ready-to-eat meal options. Like the previous building in Central Burnaby, the new distribution centre will service Horizon's retail customers across the four Western provinces and the Northern territories.

About Horizon Distributors
Established in 1976, Horizon Distributors is a privately owned, Canadian company, providing Canada's largest selection of organic and natural products in the dry, chill, frozen and household cleaning categories. During its history, Horizon has emerged as an established industry leader, becoming the preferred distributor to both independent retailers and major natural and mass market grocery chains, including Whole Foods Market® and Planet Organic Market, and an array of natural foods stores, buying clubs, wholesalers, restaurants, bakeries, cafés and commissaries. Horizon maintains these relationships through logistical excellence, personalized account service, industry best fill rates, and uncompromising commitment to integrity in product selection. Horizon is the cornerstone of the Horizon Group, a privately held, national network of Canadian businesses concerned with the distribution, private labelling, import and brand management of organic, natural and gourmet foods, health and beauty aids and nutritional supplements.

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