🔒Connecticut’s largest food bank sells Bloomfield warehouse to cut costs, fund Wallingford expansion

Connecticut Foodshare’s recent $3.5 million sale of its Bloomfield warehouse will reduce operating costs and help fund an expansion of its Wallingford facility, according to the organization’s CEO. The nonprofit, which distributed about 46 million meals across Connecticut last year, was formed in 2021 through the merger of the Connecticut Food Bank and Foodshare. Following the merger, the combined entity maintained Foodshare’s 51,880-square-foot warehouse at 450 Woodland Ave. in Bloomfield and Connecticut Food Bank’s roughly 85,000-square-foot facility just off Interstate 91 in Wallingford. Connecticut Foodshare President and CEO Jason Jakubowski said the sale will allow the nonprofit to centralize operations in the larger and newer Wallingford warehouse, while reducing operating and fuel costs. Wallingford officials last year approved Connecticut Foodshare’s plan to add a 34,243-square-foot expansion to its existing facility. Jakubowski said the organization expects to break ground this summer on the 16- to 18-month expansion project, which will include new refrigerated and freezer space. Its construction is also being partly financed by a $2 million federal grant received in early 2024. The Bloomfield warehouse was sold to Windsor-based All Crate Inc., and will help the specialty crate maker’s steady expansion. About 80% of the food distributed by Connecticut Foodshare moves through roughly 600 partner food pantries, Jakubowski said, with the remainder delivered directly through mobile food pantry trucks. The nonprofit employs about 125 staff and relies on approximately 6,700 volunteers. Following the 2021 merger, the organization had planned to eventually consolidate its facilities, Jakubowski said, though it continued operating both warehouses as long as possible. He noted Connecticut Foodshare may lease additional space during high-demand periods, such as the holidays, until the Wallingford expansion is complete. “In the end, it became too cost-prohibitive to run two facilities,” Jakubowski said. “In these difficult times, we are trying to spend everything we can on food. I couldn’t justify spending $300,000 just to keep the lights on.”