Walgreens, a leader in retail and wholesale pharmacy, announced today it will open a new $30 million, high-tech fulfillment center in the Kansas City metro area. The new operation, located in a 65,000-square-foot space in Liberty, is expected to create 200 new jobs.
“When you combine our state’s top talent in health care with our strategic location in the center of the United States, it makes Missouri a perfect fit for Walgreens,” said Governor Mike Parson. “Missouri is home to several health care innovators, and we are excited that Walgreens selected our state for its new micro-fulfillment center. We are looking forward to watching Walgreens continue to grow in Missouri.”
The mini-fulfillment model that will be used by the new facility will increase the rate of delivering packages to stores, to lockers for pick-up, and directly to customer homes. In addition to the established logistics network serving stores, Walgreens will partner with FedEx and UPS, as well as companies such as Uber and Doordash for direct-to-consumer shipping. The jobs created by the project primarily include pharmacist and pharmacy technician positions.
“As the most centrally located supply chain hub with 15 million square feet of new industrial space expected to be delivered by the end of 2021, the Kansas City region is known for manufacturing, fulfillment and distribution,” said Tim Cowden, president and CEO of the Kansas City Area Development Council. “We’re excited to welcome Walgreens’ new high-tech facility to the KC region as the company works to optimize its speed-to-consumer capabilities.”
Walgreens is among the largest pharmacy store chains in the United States. The Kansas City region facility will join the company’s two existing micro-fulfillment centers in Texas and Arizona, with eight more facilities planned to open by the end of 2022.
“These fulfillment centers are dedicated to fulfilling retail prescription orders and play an important role in our effort to create the pharmacy of the future, one that further enables our store pharmacy teams to spend more of their time providing front-line patient care,” Walgreens stated.
For this expansion, Walgreens used the Missouri Works program, a tool that helps companies expand and retain workers by providing access to capital through withholdings or tax credits for job creation.
About Walgreens
A leading pharmacy, health and beauty company, Walgreens’ purpose is to champion the health and wellbeing of every community in America. Operating more than 9,000 retail locations, Walgreens is proud to be a neighborhood health destination serving approximately 8 million customers each day. Walgreens pharmacists play a critical role in the U.S. healthcare system by providing a wide range of pharmacy and healthcare services. Walgreens offers customers a true omnichannel experience, with platforms bringing together physical and digital, supported by the latest technology to deliver high-quality products and services in communities nationwide.
Learn more about Walgreens at walgreens.com.
About Kansas City Area Development Council
The Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC) serves the 18-county, two-state Kansas City area by marketing the region's business and lifestyle assets to companies around the world. Working closely with its two states, and 50-plus county and community partners, the region has attracted more than 60,000 new jobs over its 40-year history. KCADC also leads the efforts behind KC SmartPort, TeamKC and the KC Animal Health Corridor.
Learn more about KCADC at thinkKC.com.
About Greater Kansas City
Home to 2.5 million people, Kansas City is a vibrant metro in the heart of the U.S., known as the “KC Heartland.” The KC region is a center for leading industries including technology, logistics, animal health and entrepreneurship, and is home to a renowned arts community. Visit KC.org for more details.