United Natural Foods, Inc. announced plans for a new 1.3 million square foot leased distribution center in Manchester, PA. The property represents the next generation of grocery distribution warehousing and will help the Company continue to serve its growing customer base in the region. The temperature-controlled facility is currently under construction and expected to be finished over the next 15 months.
This new facility will be additive to the Company’s portfolio of distribution centers in Pennsylvania and, once complete, will provide UNFI with increased network capacity, improved capability to more efficiently deliver its comprehensive product and services offering, and support continued customer growth in the mid-Atlantic region. The addition of the Manchester distribution center is also an important investment in UNFI associates, as the facility will offer an enhanced overall experience highlighted by a lifestyle center aimed at improving retention and overall employee engagement through a more modern, associate-friendly workplace.
“Our York facility, located less than 15 minutes away, has felt the impact of both new and existing customer growth we’ve experienced in this region over the last 12-18 months,” said Erin Horvath, UNFI’s Chief Operating Officer. “Leasing this facility allows us to best utilize our capital and manage Company resources all while delivering on our transformation program, to enhance our distribution network by enabling our multi-echelon re-distribution strategy to effectively support our customer growth. Similar to several other UNFI facilities, this new distribution center will implement technology and automation solutions designed to enable greater network capacity, scalability, and profitability.”
The Manchester facility represents the latest in a series of transactions completed by Scout Cold Logistics (“Scout”), an affiliate of AEW Capital Management (“AEW”), all of which are focused on food distribution and production assets throughout the U.S.