Grocery chain Detwiler's to build large distribution center in Manatee County

Detwiler’s Farm Market, a family-owned and -operated grocery chain, has broken ground on a warehouse and distribution center at Florida International Tradeport in northeast Manatee County. 

The facility, which is in Palmetto and will be about 133,000 square feet, will serve as the grocer’s main distribution center for its six brick-and-mortar stores between Palmetto and Venice, according to a statement. East Manatee County-based Benderson Development announced the groundbreaking. 

Benderson is the developer behind the Florida International Tradeport, a 2 million-square-foot industrial park spanning nearly 1 mile along Interstate 75 at the busy U.S. 301 interchange at exit 224. The property features 12 fully leased buildings with an additional eight buildings now underway and scheduled for delivery this year, according to the statement.

“This is something we’ve been working on for a long time,” Detwiler’s Farm Market President Sam Detwiler says in the statement. “Our goal is to be able to bring our prices down lower and continue to stay true to our ‘Eat Fresh for Less’ motto.” 

“We’re looking forward to all being under one roof in our new distribution center so we can serve our customers even better,” Detwiler’s Farm Market Founder Henry Detwiler Sr. adds in the statement. 

Detwiler’s started as a roadside produce stand in 2002 and has turned into six stores in Sarasota and Manatee counties. It opened its sixth location in December 2023 at 3500 53rd Ave in Bradenton.

Benderson Development, founded in 1949 in Buffalo, is one of America’s largest privately held real estate companies. Its portfolio includes more than 1,000 properties totaling over 55 million square feet in 41 states.