Friday, Kroger announced that it will create 161 new jobs in Birmingham as the grocery chain introduces its e-commerce grocery delivery service to the region.

Kroger has leased a 50,000-square-foot facility in Birmingham that will serve as a hub location for the retail company’s delivery network.

Rodney McMullen, Kroger chairman and CEO, expressed excitement over the grocery chain’s expansion into digital services.

“Kroger today looks very different than it did in 1883 when we opened our first store. But the core principles that made that store successful – service, selection, value, and our commitment to our customers – remain the bedrock of our business,” said McMullen. “I’m incredibly excited for the future of Kroger, and both thriving physical stores and digital solutions are part of it.”

According to Kroger, the jobs created will be in the fields of technology, operations, logistics and transportation, inventory and quality management, and customer service and engagement.

The Birmingham Business Alliance played an instrumental role in helping the company collaborate with governmental entities during the project.

Alex Patrick, a Birmingham Business Alliance partner who managed the project, celebrated Kroger’s move into the Magic City.

“We are proud to welcome a new and innovative Kroger to Birmingham,” stated Patrick. “Kroger is a more than 100-year-old company with its eye on the future that immediately saw how Birmingham could expand its e-commerce network more effectively.”

Kroger’s expansion into Birmingham adds to its presence in Alabama as it has 10 brick-and-mortar retail food stores in the northern and eastern regions of the state.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL