Met Council Opens High-Tech Food Warehouse in Brooklyn

The new 22,000-square-foot facility in Canarsie uses artificial intelligence to streamline food distribution.

Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Organic Food

A wide interior view of a clean, modern warehouse with organized steel shelving and stacked crates for food distribution. — Met Council opened a new 22,000-square-foot food warehouse in Brooklyn's Canarsie neighborhood to improve distribution efficiency for its 344 partner pantries. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Met Council has opened a $25 million food warehouse in Canarsie to expand its regional operations. The 22,000-square-foot site leverages artificial intelligence to manage inventory and serve up to 1 million New Yorkers.

Why it matters

This permanent facility provides the infrastructure necessary to increase capacity beyond the 350,000 people currently served annually. The warehouse aims to reduce food waste and optimize distribution logistics across the organization's network of 344 food pantry partners.

The 22,000-square-foot warehouse cost $25 million to construct and serves as the hub for 344 food pantry partners. The site utilizes digital pantry technology to allow for online grocery selection and pickup.

The players

Met Council

This organization operates a large-scale network of food pantries and community support programs throughout the New York City region.

Sam Sutton

He is a State Senator who secured a $1 million state matching grant to support the construction of this warehouse project.

The details

The facility at 5361 Preston Court utilizes AI to forecast demand and optimize delivery routes for its network. This tech-driven approach builds on the 20 million pounds of food the organization distributed throughout fiscal year 2026.

Fiscal year 2026: Met Council distributed 20 million pounds of food.
October 26, 2026: The warehouse opened in Canarsie.

Culture Shift

The adoption of the integration of AI in nonprofit food supply chains reflects a broader shift toward data-driven logistical optimization in social services. This project positions food assistance organizations to modernize operations by moving away from traditional inventory methods.

Residents in the area can now utilize an on-site digital food pantry to select groceries online for pickup. This new accessibility feature simplifies the distribution process for those relying on the network's local pantry partners.

The takeaway

The use of artificial intelligence to forecast demand allows organizations to significantly reduce food waste while increasing output. Residents should check with their local pantry partners to see if they are now utilizing the new digital selection platform.