Today, United Natural Foods, Inc. unveiled a plan to improve its supply chain capabilities and overall customer experience as part of its four-part transformation agenda to provide increased value to its customers and suppliers, efficiency in its operations, and enhanced value for its shareholders.
The agenda’s actions include improved operating procedures, increased associate training programs, and the deployment of technological modifications, such as the rollout of Systems Application Enterprises’ scanning technology, and plans for a new Symbotic A.I.-powered robotics and software automation system to be installed at its 1.15 million square foot distribution center in Centralia, Washington.
“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, in a statement. “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 Systems Application Enterprises, a company specializing in barcode-based business tools, to implement three of the following core technologies to help modernize UNFI’s distribution capabilities:
• Selector Pro, which directs scan-based selection activities to improve order accuracy,
• Loader Pro, which directs scan-based loading activities to ensure the accuracy and efficiency of deliveries,
• Driver Pro, which focuses on “proof-of-delivery,” validating that each customer order has been delivered.
These tools are used in 18 UNFI distribution centers with plans to implement them in additional centers by the end of 2024.
In September 2022, UNFI and Symbotic entered into an agreement to implement the technology company’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 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, according to UNFI.
“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.”
UNFI’s preparation for the installation of its first Symbotic automation system is scheduled to begin later this month with plans for a full rollout of the new system in 2024.
Related: Food Prices Remain High Despite Drop in Costs; BJ's to Roll Out AI-Powered Robots