Giant Food has expanded its corporate headquarters at 8301 Professional Place, just off the Capital Beltway in Landover, Maryland.

Giant — the largest grocery store chain in the D.C. area — expanded its sales and merchandising operations, and added 31,000 square feet to its existing headquarters building. It also has added 70 corporate jobs at the location, bringing its HQ employee count to more than 300.

The Maryland Department of Commerce approved a $250,000 loan as part of the expansion, and Prince George’s County also approved a $250,000 loan. Giant is also eligible for the state’s Job Creation Tax Credit.

“Prince George’s County has been an outstanding partner and we will continue to explore new ways to stay innovative as we grow our market share lead within the region,” said Giant Food President Ira Kress.

The corporate headquarters expansion comes after Giant announced last fall the expansion of its Jessup, Maryland, distribution facility, which distributes produce, meat, seafood, flowers, Giant-branded products and other goods to all 164 Giant stores in D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Delaware.

The Jessup warehouse also supplies products to Giant’s home delivery service, Giant Delivers, which has seen a big increase in home grocery delivery demand.

Giant relocated much of its corporate operations to Pennsylvania after its 1998 merger with Dutch grocery Royal Ahold, though it has consistently maintained a corporate presence in Prince George’s County. In 2018, it brought all corporate operations back to Landover.

Giant is now owned by Ahold Delhaize USA, the result of Royal Ahold’s merger with Belgian grocer Delhaize in 2016.

Giant Food is the D.C. area’s 13th-largest employer, with 11,000 employees in the Washington region, and 20,000 employees companywide. It operates 164 supermarkets, in D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Delaware. Its first store opened on Georgia Avenue Northwest in D.C. in 1936.