DAYVILLE, Conn., Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- United Natural Foods,
Inc. (Nasdaq: UNFI) (the "Company") today announced plans to lease a new,
state-of-the-art distribution center in Moreno Valley, CA. The recently
constructed 613,200 square foot facility will be the Company's largest
distribution center in its Western Region and is strategically located in
Southern California's Inland Empire distribution hub. It will service
customers in Southern California, Arizona, Southern Nevada, Southern Utah, and
Hawaii. Operations are scheduled to commence during the summer of 2008 and
the facility is expected to employ approximately 340 associates within the
first year.
The distribution center extends the Company's commitment to enhance
efficiencies, lower operating costs in its distribution network and improve
productivity through "best in class" warehousing and inventory control
systems. The facility will feature 27,900 square feet of refrigerated
storage, expandable to 49,700 square feet; 48,100 square feet of frozen
storage, expandable to 75,300 square feet; a 32,800 square foot refrigerated
receiving/shipping dock; and 22,700 square feet of warehouse mezzanine space.
Michael Funk, United Natural Foods' President and Chief Executive Officer,
commented, "We continue to expand the Company's distribution network to
accommodate growing consumer demand and are pleased to make this investment in
the Moreno Valley community."
Barry Foster, Moreno Valley's Economic Development Director, commented,
"The City of Moreno Valley is pleased to have a highly respected and quality
company such as United Natural Foods join our community. Having a strategic
location near I-215 in Moreno Valley should serve UNFI well in enhancing
service to their expanding customer base."
"Moreno Valley offers an exceptional business environment and we are
excited to expand our operations in Southern California," added Randy
Lindberg, United Natural Foods' President of the Western Region. "We greatly
appreciate the assistance we have received from the City of Moreno Valley,
Charles Dunn Company and Overton Moore Partners and look forward to a long-
lasting relationship with the community."
United Natural Foods signed a 10-year lease, featuring two additional 5-
year options, for the distribution center. The property is managed by
Blackrock and was developed by Overton Moore Properties. Bruce Springer of
Grubb & Ellis and Gus Andros and John F. X. Murphy of Collins Commercial
served as the listing brokers.
United Natural Foods has the largest warehouse capacity of any distributor
in the natural products industry and, with the opening of the Moreno Valley
facility, will have more than 5.8 million square feet of space at 21
distribution centers nationwide.
About United Natural Foods
United Natural Foods, Inc. carries and distributes more than 40,000
products to more than 17,000 customers nationwide. The Company serves a wide
variety of retail formats including conventional supermarket chains, natural
product superstores, independent retail operators and the food service
channel. United Natural Foods, Inc. was ranked by Forbes in 2005 as one of
the "Best Managed Companies in America," ranked by Fortune in 2006 and 2007 as
one of its "Most Admired Companies," and ranked by Business Ethics as one of
its "100 Best Corporate Citizens for 2006." For additional information,
please visit the Company's website at www.unfi.com.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding the Company's business
that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve
risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties,
which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the
forward-looking statements, including but not limited to general business
conditions, the impact of competition and our dependence on principal
customers, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q
filed with the Commission on December 6, 2007, and its other filings under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Any forward-looking statements
are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and,
as such, speak only as of the date made. The Company is not undertaking to
update any information in the foregoing reports until the effective date of
its future reports required by applicable laws. Any projections of future
results of operations should not be construed in any manner as a guarantee
that such results will in fact occur. These projections are subject to change
and could differ materially from final reported results. The Company may from
time to time update these publicly announced projections, but it is not
obligated to do so.
SOURCE United Natural Foods, Inc.
CONTACT: Mark Shamber, Chief Financial Officer of United Natural Foods,
Inc., 1-860-779-2800; or General Information, Joseph Calabrese of Financial
Relations Board for United Natural Foods, Inc., 1-212-827-3772
Web site: http://www.unfi.com
(UNFI)