Largest Distribution Center in the Company's Nationwide Network, Facility Will
Pursue LEED(R) Certification DAYVILLE, Conn., April 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- United Natural Foods,
Inc. (Nasdaq: UNFI) (the "Company") today announced plans to relocate its New
Oxford, Pennsylvania operations to a new 675,000 square foot distribution
facility in the Greenspring Industrial Park in York, Pennsylvania. The York
distribution center is expected to commence operations towards the end of 2008
and will be United Natural Foods largest distribution facility in its
nationwide network. It will serve as a distribution hub for customers in New
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia and West
Virginia.
The leased York facility is a bulk warehouse owned by First Industrial
Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: FR), a leading provider of industrial real estate
supply chain solutions.
By enhancing its supply chain capabilities, United Natural Foods will be
positioned to enhance service levels to customers in the Mid-Atlantic region
of the United States. Additionally, the facility will feature "best in class'
warehousing and inventory control systems, including state-of-the-art
"Pick-to-Voice" order fulfillment systems.
"We continue to experience growing consumer demand and completion of this
new location will help relieve our over-capacity at the current New Oxford
facility as well as enhance our overall capacity to grow," said Michael Funk,
President and Chief Executive Officer. "The infrastructure investments in our
nationwide distribution network will ultimately serve to improve efficiencies,
lower our operating costs and provide customers with enhanced product
diversity."
"We are excited to expand our operations in Pennsylvania and are pleased
to partner with the wonderful community of York," commented Michael Beaudry,
President of the Eastern Region, "As always, we continue to be environmentally
responsible by using green construction methods and renewable energy sources
whenever possible, which in the long run also serve to significantly lower our
operating costs."
As part of its commitment to Environmentally Responsible Initiatives, the
Company will pursue LEED(R) (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
certification for this facility. LEED(R) is a third party certification
program and a nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and
operation of high performance green buildings. LEED(R) promotes a
whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five
key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development,
water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental
quality.
United Natural Foods has the largest warehouse capacity of any distributor
in the natural products industry and, with the planned opening of the York
facility, will have approximately 6.2 million square feet of space at 21
distribution centers nationwide.
The Company noted that the distance between the new facility in York,
Pennsylvania and its current 247,975 square foot center in New Oxford,
Pennsylvania is approximately 23 miles and no jobs are expected to be impacted
in the transition. The York facility is expected to employ 350 people.
About United Natural Foods
United Natural Foods, Inc. carries and distributes more than 50,000
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 more information on United Natural
Foods, Inc., 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 Securities and Exchange Commission on March 6, 2008, 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: AT THE COMPANY: Mark Shamber, Chief Financial Officer,
1-860-779-2800; FINANCIAL RELATIONS BOARD, Joseph Calabrese, General
Information, 1-212-827-3772
Web site: http://www.unfi.com
(UNFI FR)