Woolies creates 800 jobs with new distribution centre

Woolworths’ new chilled and fresh food distribution hub in the heart of Western Sydney has hit a major milestone, with 800 new roles being recruited to operate what will be the biggest refrigerated distribution centre in the Southern Hemisphere.

The supermarket giant invested $900 million into the new Sydney Chilled and Fresh Distribution Centre in Eastern Creek, and complements Woolworths $1.3 billion investment in new national and regional distribution centres at Moorebank in Western Sydney.

Due to open in early 2027, recruitment for 800 new roles to operate the distribution centre has begun, with women making up 45 per cent of hirings so far.

More than 4000 jobs were also created during the two-and-a-half-year construction phase.

“Our newest Distribution Centre will help us deliver the freshest produce from Australian farmers onto our shelves and into our customers’ baskets even faster,” said Amanda Bardwell, CEO of Woolworths Group.

“We built this facility to improve the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables in our stores, and keep up with a growing population over the next two decades, so that our customers can rely on us for quality food, when they need it.

“I know first-hand that a role at Woolies is rarely just a job – it’s the start of a rewarding career. We’re proud to grow our local team and create 800 new jobs in Western Sydney. While this facility features world-leading technology, it’s our team who will be the beating heart of the operation.”

According to Deputy NSW Premier and Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car, it’s fantastic to see this investment in Western Sydney, creating 800 new jobs and more opportunities for local residents to work closer to home.

“This significant investment is a vote of confidence in Western Sydney’s future, supporting our growing communities while helping get produce onto supermarket shelves across NSW,” Car continued.

The facility, which will handle 3000 tonnes of fruit and vegetables a day, is strategically located where the M4 meets the M7 at Eastern Creek to optimise delivery of fresh food and milk to 300 Woolworths stores across Sydney and NSW.

Operated by Woolworths’ supply chain arm, Primary Connect, Sydney Chilled and Fresh Distribution Centre has been built with enough spare capacity to grow volumes over the next 20 years to meet an expanding customer base and growing NSW population.

With construction now complete on the refrigerated second floor, the temperature inside Sydney Chilled and Fresh Distribution Centre will be reduced to two degrees for testing of technology like automated milk crate packing.