United Natural Foods (UNFI) broke ground on a new state-of-the-art distribution center north of Sarasota, Florida, that will have more than one million square feet of capacity and incorporate some of the latest technologies and automation, including KNAPP repacking automation, which will improve service levels to customers while reducing the cost of order fulfillment.
The new distribution center replaces an aging facility and will incorporate the latest ieading warehouse technology to increase efficiency in selecting, packing, and loading processes. UNFI is working with JLL, Broadstone Net Lease, Inc., Sansone Group, and ARCO Design/Build in the building of the distribution center, said the company in a press release.
Related Article: UNFI Unveils Plans for New Manchester, PA Distribution Center
Additionally, it will be a fully air-conditioned warehouse and will feature natural daylighting concepts and dimmable lighting, as well as a full-building water filtration system. It is expected to include workforce-friendly amenities designed to support a best-in-class working experience for our valued associates.
“Distribution is our core business, so when we build a new distribution center, we want to incorporate as much automation and technology as possible to improve our ability to service our customers while simultaneously lowering our costs to do so,” said Erin Horvath, Chief Operating Officer of UNFI. She added, “we are also very excited about providing a working environment designed around the needs of both our customers and our associates.”
The new distribution center is located within the SRQ Logistics Center, a 300-acre master-planned business park,adjacent to Sarasota’s International Airport and proximate to bnterstate 75 and US-301.
UNFI is a 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, e-commerce providers, and food service customers.