Update: Shipt goes all in, announces Birmingham expansion, promises 881 jobs

The City of Birmingham, Jefferson County, the state of Alabama, along with Alabama Power, the Birmingham Business Alliance and Innovate Birmingham contributed to support Shipt’s expansion in Birmingham.

Homegrown Talent

At a formal announcement today at Shipt headquarters, Founder and CEO Bill Smith said the company is actively recruiting across all departments and focusing its continuous growth on Birmingham. The company plans to primarily recruit talent from within the city and the surrounding area.

“Shipt was founded and has flourished in Birmingham, and we would not have reached the success we have today without the continued support of this community,” said Shipt CEO Bill Smith. “As a rapidly growing technology company, we feel fortunate to be able to offer an avenue for creating highly skilled jobs within Birmingham.

“With this development package, we’ll be able to deepen our roots in our hometown, helping establish Birmingham as a center of technology and innovation not only in the South, but also within the United States.”

Sweet Home Alabama

The grocery delivery service, which was acquired for $550 million by Target last year, will expand its headquarters in Birmingham, creating 881 jobs and an estimated economic impact of $1.1 billion in new payroll over 20 years.

As part of an overall economic development package, the City of Birmingham has committed up to $1.7 million to support the company’s growth strategy through programs aimed at professional skill development, hiring local talent, and attracting software engineers and data scientists. The Jefferson County Commission pledged a cash incentive tied to Shipt’s hiring initiative, as well.

A Strategic Push

The expansion comes amid a strategic push by the Birmingham-based company to add new retail partners and speed the rollout of its marketplace delivery service across the United States. The hiring will increase its corporate workforce to more than 1,000 people over several years.

“By simplifying life with innovative technology for personalized grocery delivery, Shipt is positioned for rapid growth,” said Governor Kay Ivey. “The ideal location for this growth is its hometown of Birmingham, and we’re committed to helping the company develop and attract the talent it needs to fuel its expansion plans in Alabama’s ‘Magic City.’”