United Natural Foods Advancing Initiatives to Improve the Effectiveness and Efficiency of its Supply Chain
March 15 2023 - 07:20AM
Business Wire
Company implementing process improvements, new
SAE technology tools and announcing the first of five planned
Symbotic automation systems to enhance effectiveness and
efficiency
United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE: UNFI) today announced further
actions to significantly improve its supply chain capabilities and
overall customer experience as part of its four-part transformation
agenda to provide increasing value to its customers and suppliers,
effectiveness and efficiency in its operations, and enhanced value
for its shareholders. These actions include improved operating
procedures, increased associate training programs, and the
deployment of technological improvements, such as the rollout of
Systems Application Enterprises, Inc. (SAE) scanning technology,
and plans for a new Symbotic Inc. (NASDAQ: SYM) A.I.-powered
robotics and software automation system to be installed at its 1.15
million square foot Centralia, Wash. distribution center.
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One segment of UNFI’s four-part
transformation agenda is the implementation of Symbotic’s
A.I.-powered robotics and software automation system at UNFI’s
Centralia, Wash. distribution center to enhance operational
capabilities and efficiency, improve order accuracy for customers,
and better organize products on pallets for an improved customer
experience at the store level. (Photo: Business Wire)
“The efficiency of our supply chain is fundamental to our
customer experience. We have been engaged in a detailed review
focused on broadly improving our operations,” said Erin Horvath,
UNFI’s Chief Supply Chain Transformation Officer. “This includes
strengthening our standard operating procedures across our 56
distribution centers, training associates for improved speed and
accuracy, and implementing technology and automation tools to
enable greater network capacity, scalability, and profitability.
Our goal is for customers to benefit from the comprehensive and
innovative product offerings we provide, while continuing to make
doing business with UNFI easier, and our end-to-end supply chain
more efficient.”
For the past year, UNFI has been working with SAE, an
industry-leader in barcode-based business tools, to implement three
of its core distribution technology solutions to help modernize
UNFI’s distribution capabilities:
- Selector Pro®, which directs scan-based selection activities to
improve order accuracy while providing real-time workforce
visibility throughout the warehouse;
- Loader Pro®, which directs scan-based loading activities to
ensure accuracy and efficiency of outbound deliveries; and
- Driver Pro®, which focuses on “proof-of-delivery,” providing
scan-based validation that each customer order has been delivered
accurately.
These tools are being utilized in 18 UNFI distribution centers
today with plans to implement them into additional distribution
centers over the balance of 2023 and 2024.
In September 2022, UNFI and Symbotic announced they had entered
into a commercial agreement to implement Symbotic’s A.I.-powered
robotics automation system at five UNFI distribution centers over a
four-year period. UNFI’s Centralia distribution center will be the
first facility to receive the new automation systems. Symbotic’s
end-to-end solution provides robotic case pick capabilities and
will be used within Centralia’s dry grocery area to enhance
operational capabilities and efficiency, improve order accuracy for
customers, and better organize products on pallets for an improved
customer experience at the store level.
“Our Centralia distribution center supports a large customer
base in the Pacific Northwest, including retailers in Alaska and
export customers through the Port of Washington,” said Horvath. “To
support our growth and a robust retailer base in this region, we’ll
be deploying automation to improve the service we provide
retailers, better manage external labor resources, and create a
more efficient operating network system in the Pacific Northwest
over time. These actions are key pillars of our overall
transformation agenda, including our mission to invest in service,
quality, and efficiency improvements for our existing and future
customers and delivering more profitability for our
shareholders.”
UNFI’s preparation work for the installation of the Symbotic
automation system in Centralia is scheduled to begin later this
month with plans for testing, training and the full rollout of the
new system anticipated in 2024.
About UNFI
UNFI is North America's premier grocery wholesaler delivering
the widest variety of fresh, branded, and owned brand products to
more than 30,000 locations throughout North America, including
natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional
supermarket chains, ecommerce providers, and food service
customers. UNFI also provides a broad range of value-added services
and segmented marketing expertise, including proprietary
technology, data, market insights, and shelf management to help
customers and suppliers build their businesses and brands. As the
largest full-service grocery partner in North America, UNFI is
committed to building a food system that is better for all and is
uniquely positioned to deliver great food, more choices, and fresh
thinking to customers. To learn more about how UNFI is Fueling the
Future of Food, visit www.unfi.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230314006097/en/
For Investors: Kristyn Farahmand 401-213-2160
kristyn.farahmand@unfi.com -or- Steve Bloomquist 952-828-4144
steve.j.bloomquist@unfi.com
For Media: Jeff Swanson 952-903-1645
jeffrey.s.swanson@unfi.com
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