On Jan. 8, United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI, Providence, RI) announced it will restructure its commercial wholesale organization into two product-centered divisions, Conventional Grocery Products and Natural, Organic, Specialty & Fresh Products.
Louis Martin, the current president of wholesale, will become president of Conventional Grocery Products and chief commercial officer. Mark Bushway, the chief supply chain officer, will become president of Natural, Organic, Specialty & Fresh Products and retain his current title.
According to the company, each division will have dedicated sales teams aligned to the unique product and service needs of UNFI’s 30,000 retail locations. Both divisions will be supported by experts in merchandising, operations, procurement and supplier services.
Capability centers of excellence including supply chain, professional and digital services, and private brands will work across the divisions to support sales leaders, building customized programs and help customers and suppliers accelerate their growth strategies.
This is the latest action as part of UNFI’s multi-year strategy on “creating more customized value for its customers and suppliers and driving profitable growth.”
“This realignment is another step in the execution of our plan to add value and improve efficiency and effectiveness for our customers and suppliers. By empowering our commercial teams to provide a more customized product and service-centered experience, we intend to help our customers and suppliers differentiate, compete, and grow profitably through a more responsive, efficient, and effective operating model,” said UNFI CEO Sandy Douglas.
For more information, visit www.unfi.com.
