PROVIDENCE, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE: UNFI) (“UNFI” or the “Company”), North America's premier and largest food wholesaler delivering the widest variety of products to a diverse and expansive customer base, today issued the following statement regarding the long-term labor agreement that it has reached with Teamsters Local 414 (“Local 414”) in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Jill Sutton, UNFI’s Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, commented:
“We’re very pleased that Teamsters Local 414 has ratified a new long-term labor agreement for our distribution center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. UNFI’s four-year contract with Local 414 maintains competitive benefit and wage terms in line with other facilities in the Midwest. The contract also includes language updates that afford UNFI the flexibility it needs to operate and succeed as a competitive distribution business in today’s landscape. We believe this resolution is a positive development for UNFI, our valued associates in Fort Wayne and our customers.
UNFI intends to continue pursuing fair, workable labor agreements that address our associates’ needs while allowing us to effectively serve customers and thrive in the modern food distribution environment. We owe it to all of our stakeholders – ranging from associates to customers to shareholders – to reach agreements that position us to adapt and remain nimble. This emphasis on flexibility is one of the main reasons why UNFI was able to quickly implement industry-leading safety and risk management practices tailored to our operations across North America as the COVID-19 pandemic began. Similarly, our focus on associates’ wellbeing drove the decision to institute a $2 per hour State of Emergency bonus early in the crisis, even as many other businesses were furloughing or letting go of employees. UNFI’s commitment to maintaining best-in-class safety and risk practices across our distribution network will continue to be universal for the benefit of all associates.”
About United Natural Foods
UNFI is North America's premier food wholesaler delivering the widest variety of products to customer locations throughout North America including natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional supermarket chains, ecommerce retailers and food service customers. By providing this deeper 'full-store' selection and compelling brands for every aisle, UNFI is uniquely positioned to deliver great food, more choices and fresh thinking to customers everywhere. Combined with SUPERVALU, UNFI is the largest publicly-traded grocery distributor in America. To learn more about how UNFI is Moving Food Forward, visit www.unfi.com.
