UNFI Honors Elite Drivers of the Year
United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) celebrated the exemplary performance of three distinguished drivers as part of its 2024 Driver Ambassador Program. Each of these Elite Drivers of the Year has made significant contributions to the company’s mission of delivering quality service to its customers and communities.
Celebrating Outstanding Achievements
In recognition of their dedication and professionalism, each driver was awarded a $10,000 prize. Furthermore, the distribution centers associated with these Elite Drivers will be equipped with a premium, UNFI-branded Navistar LT625 tractor for delivery operations throughout the upcoming year.
Remarkable Journey and Accomplishments
During the past year, UNFI drivers collectively traveled over 166 million miles, completing more than 1.8 million deliveries across more than 30,000 customer locations throughout North America. Their commitment to safety and efficiency underscores the crucial role they play in the supply chain.
Recognizing Excellence in Driving
The Driver Ambassador Program aims to highlight the essential work of UNFI drivers, who are vital in delivering a superior customer experience. Each quarter, UNFI drivers can strive for the Distinguished Driver Award by adhering to attendance goals, demonstrating exceptional service, and practicing safe driving. Those who achieve the highest standards for four consecutive quarters earn the title of Elite Driver.
Growth in Driver Excellence
In the latest fiscal year, 39 percent of UNFI’s driver workforce, totaling 1,182 out of 3,029, achieved Elite Driver status, a noteworthy increase from last year’s 35.5 percent.
2024 Elite Drivers of the Year
The following drivers were honored as the 2024 Elite Drivers of the Year from their respective UNFI regions:
- John Mendez from UNFI’s Dayville, Connecticut, distribution center, representing the East Region;
- Jorge Cuellar from UNFI’s Fargo, North Dakota, distribution center, representing the Central Region;
- Eric Harris from UNFI’s NorCal, California, distribution center, representing the West Region.
Acknowleding the Team Effort
These accolades coincide with a week-long celebration of UNFI’s dedicated workforce, including warehouse personnel who selected, built, and loaded nearly 775 million cases for delivery in the past year. The success of UNFI’s operations relies heavily on the safety, efficiency, and precision of its warehouse teams, who collaborate with drivers to bridge the gap between thousands of suppliers and retailers.
“Our warehouse workers and our drivers are the critical links in our supplier-to-customer chain,” stated Mark Bushway, Chief Supply Chain Officer at UNFI. “They continuously challenge themselves to excel, and their combined efforts ensure our collective success. I extend my gratitude to all, especially John, Jorge, and Eric, for their remarkable achievements. We are incredibly proud to have them on our team.”
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