Ahold Delhaize USA (ADUSA) and supply chain solutions provider Americold Realty Trust are scaling back plans for two automated frozen-food distribution facilities in the United States.
The companies reached an agreement on July 21 to wind down operations at a distribution centre in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, while also stopping plans to open another facility in Plainville, Connecticut, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission by Americold.
The decision marks a change in direction for two projects that were originally part of Ahold Delhaize USA’s longer-term effort to move towards a self-distribution model.
Lancaster to close by the end of 2026
The Lancaster facility will not shut down immediately.
ADUSA said it expects to remain at the Pennsylvania site through the end of 2026, adding that it will provide further details about the transition in the near future.
For now, the company said there are no changes to operations at the facility.
The situation is different in Connecticut. Under the agreement, the planned Plainville distribution centre will be idled immediately, ending the project before it becomes operational.
The two companies have also agreed to expand and renew business in other parts of Americold’s network, according to the SEC filing.
A costly reversal for Americold
The change carries a significant financial impact for Americold.
The company expects to record a non-cash impairment charge of approximately $305 million to $320 million related to the two facilities.
Americold also expects the properties to be sold.
The projects date back to 2020, when ADUSA and Americold announced plans to develop two fully automated frozen warehouses as part of Ahold Delhaize’s broader supply chain transformation programme.
The latest decision effectively brings those two projects to an end, although it does not signal that ADUSA has abandoned automation altogether.
Automated distribution remains part of the strategy
Despite stepping away from the Lancaster and Plainville facilities, ADUSA continues to pursue large-scale investments in automated distribution.
In October 2025, the company announced an $860 million investment to build an automated distribution centre in Burlington, North Carolina.
The project has also attracted outside financing. At the beginning of 2026, Blackstone Credit & Insurance invested $475 million in the facility.
The North Carolina distribution centre is expected to begin serving stores in 2029.
The contrasting developments suggest that ADUSA’s approach to warehouse automation is evolving rather than disappearing. While the company and Americold are winding down two earlier frozen-food projects, Ahold Delhaize is still committing substantial capital to newer automated infrastructure.
For Americold, however, the decision means absorbing a sizeable non-cash charge and reassessing the future of two facilities that were originally designed to support the grocer’s transition towards greater control over its own distribution network.
