United Natural Foods Inc. Expanding in Rhode Island

Will Bring 150 New Jobs to the Ocean State by 2020

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Feb 15, 2017, 15:05 ET

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Feb. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Rhode Island Governor Gina M. Raimondo and the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation today announced that United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) intends to significantly expand its footprint in Rhode Island, with plans to hire 100 new full-time employees by the end of 2018 and a total of 150 new full-time employees by 2020.

UNFI is a leading natural, organic and specialty foods and nonfood distributor with more than 9,800 employees and 34 distribution centers in the U.S. and Canada. Named one of the World's Most Admired Companies by Fortune, one of the Top Green Providers by Food Logistics and repeatedly among the Healthiest Large Employers by Providence Business News, it has since 2009 maintained its corporate headquarters in Providence and currently has over 450 employees in the state.

"We've long been proud that UNFI calls Rhode Island home, and today we're pleased that it's decided to grow here," says R.I. Governor Gina M. Raimondo. "The business climate we've worked to foster over the past couple of years is one that's mutually beneficial for businesses and our residents, and we're careful to ensure that the opportunities we create pay off in both the short and long terms."

UNFI is working toward a long-term lease at a Providence metro-area site and anticipates investments in the property to accommodate the new employees. UNFI intends to apply for tax credits under the Qualified Jobs Incentive Act program.

"UNFI is an outstanding social enterprise, and we're proud that the company has such an important and growing presence in Rhode Island," said Stefan Pryor, Rhode Island Secretary of Commerce. "UNFI is a terrific addition to the list of existing Rhode Island companies that, with support from our economic incentives, are expanding right here in our state."

Based on third-party analysis, these 150 new jobs are projected to realize a projected net increase of $4.8 million in personal income, sales and corporate business tax revenues over a 12-year period. We can also expect an increase of $9.7 million in Rhode Island's annual GDP once all 150 hires are in place.

"We look forward to expanding our presence in Rhode Island with the opening of our shared services center, which will enable us to drive greater efficiencies and improve the customer experience as we further simplify and standardize our supplier and customer interactions," said Steven L. Spinner, UNFI President, CEO and Chairman of the Board. "At UNFI, our people are our most valued asset, and we are committed to working with our associates to ensure a smooth transition as we position UNFI for continued growth."

To apply for a position with UNFI, visit the company's careers page. UNFI will also host an open house on March 1 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at its corporate headquarters in Providence (313 Iron Horse Way). Hiring managers will be in attendance and conducting interviews during that time period.

About United Natural Foods

United Natural Foods (NASDAQ: UNFI) is celebrating its 40-year anniversary of delivering healthier food options to more people. The company carries and distributes more than 100,000 products to more than 43,000 customer locations throughout the United States and Canada. United Natural Foods serves a wide variety of sales channels including conventional supermarket chains, natural product superstores, independent retailers, eCommerce and food service. For more information, please visit http://www.unfi.com.

Contact: Matt Sheaff (Commerce) 401-278-9149

SOURCE Rhode Island Commerce Corporation