A health and wellness online retailer is closing its fulfillment center in Davidson County and laying off 130 people.
In July, Vitacost will be shuttering its fulfillment center in Lexington at 130 Lexington Parkway, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) report filed on April 29. Such notices are required by federal law during mass layoffs.
Because of the closure, Vitacost will lay off 130 workers by July 1. Lexington is about 50 miles north of Charlotte.
It’s unclear why Vitacost is closing the fulfillment center, which has been open for almost two decades. But the vitamin and supplement seller has undergone several changes since 2014.
That year, the company was bought by Kroger for $280 million, news outlets previously reported. The plan was to use Vitacost’s online platform to propel Kroger’s home delivery service.
But that ended in January.
Kroger sold Vitacost to IHerb, a similar ecommerce company selling vitamins and other health and wellness products.
The sale was a part of Kroger’s efforts to “simplify” the organization, according to a Kroger news release. After “reviewing all non-core assets,” selling Vitacost was the next step, the release continued.
It’s unclear how much Kroger sold Vitacost for.
IHerb did not immediately return a request for comment on the layoffs.
About Vitacost
Vitacost launched in 1994 to provide affordable and accessible healthcare supplements.
In 2008, the Florida-based company opened a fulfillment center in Lexington. In 2010, it expanded that center with a $6.7 million investment, according to a state news release. Vitacost also used a $450,000 grant from the state for the project.
After the acquisition by IHerb, layoffs began for Vitacost. In Las Vegas, 113 people were laid off in March.
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Desiree Mathurin covers growth and development for The Charlotte Observer. The native New Yorker returned to the East Coast after covering neighborhood news in Denver at Denverite and Colorado Public Radio. She’s also reported on high school sports at Newsday and southern-regional news for AP. Desiree is exploring Charlotte and the Carolinas, and is looking forward to taking readers along for the ride. Send tips and coffee shop recommendations.