UNITED NATURAL FOODS INC 10-K

ITEM 1. BUSINESS In this Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Annual Report” or “Report”), unless otherwise specified, references to “United Natural Foods”, “UNFI”, “we”, “us”, “our” or the “Company” mean United Natural Foods, Inc. together with its consolidated subsidiaries. We are a Delaware corporation based in Providence, Rhode Island. We conduct our business through various subsidiaries. Since the formation of our predecessor in 1976, we have grown our business both organically and through acquisitions, which have expanded our distribution network, product selection and customer base. Our Background UNFI is a leading distributor of grocery and non-food products, and support services provider to retailers in the United States and Canada. We believe we are uniquely positioned to provide the broadest array of products and services to customers throughout North America. Our diversified customer base includes over 30,000 customer locations ranging from some of the largest grocers in the country to smaller independents as well. We offer approximately 250,000 products consisting of national, regional and private label brands grouped into the following main product categories: grocery and general merchandise; perishables; frozen foods; wellness and personal care items; and bulk and foodservice products. We believe we are North America’s premier grocery wholesaler with 55 distribution centers and warehouses representing approximately 31 million square feet of warehouse space. We are a coast-to-coast distributor with customers in all 50 states as well as all ten provinces in Canada, making us a desirable partner for retailers and consumer product manufacturers. We believe our total product assortment and service offerings are unmatched by our wholesale competitors. We plan to continue to pursue new business opportunities with independent retailers that operate diverse formats, regional and national chains, as well as international customers with wide-ranging needs. Our business is classified into two reportable segments: Wholesale and Retail; and also includes a manufacturing division and a branded product line division. Our Strategic Priorities We are continually striving to better serve our stakeholders, including our customers, suppliers, associates and communities, and to drive profitable growth and sustainable shareholder value creation. We have undertaken a new strategy and have established new three-year financial objectives that begin in fiscal 2025 and are designed to make the Company more efficient while improving free cash flow generation and reducing net leverage. Our strategy is centered on adding value to our customers and suppliers through our expansive assortment of products, services, programs, and insights that help them grow and compete. Our strategy is highly focused on actively positioning our Company to add value to a resilient portion of the food retail industry that totals over $90 billion of wholesale sales and includes many specialty, natural, multi-cultural and conventional retailers. This new strategy capitalizes on UNFI’s strengths, including our heritage in natural and organic products, as well as our growing, value-added digital and professional services portfolio. Simultaneously, we are working to improve free cash flow generation and reduce net leverage by optimizing controllable variables including: 1. Intensified Network Optimization : Streamlining our distribution center footprint to create a more efficient supply chain with a lower level of fixed capital invested. 2. Reduced Capital Intensity : Prioritizing capital investment needs and reducing the overall level of future spending while continuing to emphasize maintenance and targeted network enablement and technology enhancements. We also plan to lower overall working capital levels while driving higher customer satisfaction. 3. Optimized Cost Structure : Reducing ongoing operating expenses and better aligning corporate resources to reflect our updated strategy and customer and supplier-facing work. During fiscal 2024, we continued to implement near-term initiatives to help improve profitability and strengthen our foundation while we finalized and began implementing our revised strategy. We expect to continue to use available capital to re-invest in our business and are committed to improving our free cash flow and financial leverage while reducing outstanding debt. We believe we can optimize our performance and profitability through our improvement efforts, which we expect will improve our cost structure, increase sales of products and services, and position us to provide tailored, data-driven solutions to help our customers run their businesses more efficiently and contribute to customer acquisitions. 1 Table of Contents Our Commitment to Social and Environmental Responsibility Creating a Better Future for Communities As North America’s premier grocery wholesaler, we are working to create a better future for our communities by improving access to quality food, empowering our associates to give back and protecting the planet we share. We look for ways to use our scale to drive progress across the food industry, while focusing on sustainability initiatives that drive efficiency and cost savings and create sustainable value for our stakeholders. Now in the fourth year since unveiling our Better for All impact strategy, we continue to evaluate the impacts we have along our value chain, focusing on proactively engaging with the people making and moving the products we distribute. In fiscal 2024, we published our 13th annual Better for All report, which offers a summary of our social, environmental, and governance impacts during the fiscal year. The report demonstrates our enhanced focus on our six most pressing impact areas: safety, well-being, waste, climate, sourcing and community. The report is available on our website at www.betterforall.unfi.com and highlights progress toward our goals, including waste reduction, supplier diversity, food donations and food safety. Our Better for All report and the contents of our Better for All webpage are not incorporated by reference into or considered to be part of this Annual Report. Upstream Our impact begins with the decisions made by our partners and suppliers, well before products reach our distribution centers. We are investing in programs and partnerships that are designed to help build a more equitable system and carry our values further upstream. In fiscal 2023, we launched the UNFI Climate Action Partnership, encouraging suppliers to set credible climate goals. The program builds on UNFI’s Climate Action Hub, which offers suppliers a variety of tools and resources to innovate and scale climate solutions across the food system. We also published a new Deforestation Policy, an updated Animal Welfare Position Statement, and an updated Supplier and Vendor Code of Conduct, clearly outlining expectations of suppliers on responsible procurement topics. These policies help us to work more efficiently and effectively with suppliers and vendors in pursuing our shared goals. Operations We remain focused on operating efficiently and sustainably, which includes managing the social and environmental impacts within our direct control. Our associates’ safety and well-being are of utmost importance to us. Our primary goal is to cultivate a culture that values care and safety for all. Through continuous efforts we are dedicated to minimizing the risk of injuries and accidents, ensuring a safe and thriving environment for everyone. In fiscal 2024, for the third year in a row, we received a score of 100 on the Disability Equality Index. In fiscal 2024, our seven associate-led Belonging & Innovation Groups continued to cultivate a culture of innovation, learning and impact across the Company. In addition, we began work on a new roof-mounted solar array installation at our Riverside, California distribution center, which will be our largest to date. UNFI’s solar array initiatives provide a strong return on investment and reduce the energy cost of operating a distribution center, while lowering the Company’s carbon footprint. Downstream We aim to be responsible community members, from how we provide information and services to our customers, to the local organizations our associates support with their volunteer hours. In fiscal 2024, we significantly grew associate volunteerism, and the UNFI Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, began implementation of its five-year plan and awarded over $1.5 million in grants. We also made significant strides toward our food waste reduction goal and deployed a Reverse Logistics Disposition Reporting system at all UNFI distribution centers to enhance inventory visibility and operational efficiency. This initiative is expected to reduce food waste, minimize waste disposal costs and decrease shrink in the distribution centers. Social and environmental responsibility remains integral to our overall business strategy, and we believe these practices deliver significant value to our stakeholders, including our stockholders, associates, customers, suppliers and communities. 2 Table of Contents Our Customers We maintain long-standing relationships with many of our customers. We serve over 30,000 unique customer locations, primarily located across the United States and Canada, which we classify into five customer types: Chains; Independent retailers; Supernatural; Retail; and Other. Refer to Note 3—Revenue Recognition in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report for additional information. One Wholesale customer, which includes customers under common control, constituted more than 10% of total Net sales in fiscal 2024. On May 21, 2024, we amended and restated our distribution agreement with our largest customer which, among other things, extended the term of that agreement through May 20, 2032. Our international Net sales primarily reflect UNFI Canada, Inc. (“UNFI Canada”), which represented approximately 1% of our Net sales in fiscal 2024. International business excludes sales transacted in U.S. dollars and shipped internationally, which is an even smaller component of our business. We also continue to invest in technology and systems with the intent of improving the efficiency of our operations, enhancing the customer experience and growing our services platform, including our eCommerce and innovation businesses. This includes sales to eCommerce companies as well as business-to-business sales to non-traditional customers. Marketplace by UNFI is our business-to-business digital eCommerce solution for emerging brands looking to expand distribution with UNFI customers. Through this virtual marketplace, suppliers gain immediate access to UNFI’s digital infrastructure to promote and sell their products to UNFI’s broad customer base while UNFI customers gain access to an even broader assortment of unique and local items with flexible order sizes and the convenience of ordering from multiple sources online in one place. Wholesale We organize and operate our Wholesale reportable segment through three U.S. geographic regions: East, Central and West, each of which is led by a separate regional president responsible for product and service strategy, execution, and financial results; and Canada Wholesale, which is operated separately from the U.S. Wholesale business. Product and service categories include grocery, fresh, private brands, wellness and personal care items, eCommerce and foodservice. This operating structure includes regional sales organizations and distribution center networks, which offer a combination of conventional and natural products to our customers as a consolidated supply solution. Territory managers in these regions sell our complete lines of products, which allows us to anticipate and identify sales opportunities that result from our customers having a single point of contact for all of our products and services. Operations We have established a national network of strategically located distribution centers utilizing a multi-tiered logistics system. The network includes facilities that carry slow turn or fast turn groceries, perishables, general merchandise and home, health and beauty care products. For financial reporting purposes, sales from our distribution centers to our own Retail stores are eliminated from of our Wholesale segment within Eliminations. We offer Wholesale customers a wide variety of food and non-food products, and our own lines of private label products. We also offer a broad array of professional services. As a logistics provider, efficiency is an important customer service measure. We are in the process of optimizing our facilities to implement leading warehouse technology, ranging from radio-frequency devices guiding selectors to mechanized facilities with completely automated order selection for dry groceries that help us deliver aisle-ready pallets to Wholesale customers. Deployment of continuous improvement methodologies within our supply chain is focused on delivering labor and cost efficiencies while also improving our ability to more effectively service our customers. To maintain our market position and improve our operating efficiencies, we seek to continually: • expand our marketing and customer service programs across regions; • expand our national purchasing opportunities; • offer a broader product and value add service selection than our competitors; • offer operational excellence with high service levels and a higher percentage of on-time deliveries and fill rates than our competitors; • centralize and streamline general and administrative functions to reduce expenses; • consolidate systems applications among physical locations and regions; and • invest in our people, facilities, equipment and technology. 3 Table of Contents Procurement We maintain contracts with suppliers to procure their products. Our procurement process includes assessments of demand planning, pricing, seasonality and other factors. Inventory costs are determined when products are procured and include vendor funds received and inbound freight, among other items. The gross margins we earn on sales to our customers are typically based on a percentage mark-up, or fee, on top of vendor listed base cost, which vary by customer, product type, vendor size, volume throughput, transportation methods and distances, among other factors. Net sales to customers are determined at the time of sale based on the then prevailing vendor listed base cost, and include discounts we offer to our customers. The differential between the procured cost, including vendor funds and inbound freight, as compared to the net sales price of these products, primarily generates our gross margin. Retail Our Retail segment includes 76 Cub Foods and Shoppers retail grocery stores. Our retail stores provide an extensive grocery offering and, depending on size, a variety of additional products, including general merchandise, home, health and beauty care, and pharmacy. We offer national and local brands, as well as our own private label products. A typical retail store carries approximately 17,000 to 21,000 core SKUs and ranges in size from approximately 50,000 to 70,000 square feet. We believe our retail banners have strong local and regional brand recognition in the markets in which they operate. Our Retail operations are principally supplied by six of our Wholesale distribution centers. Our Product Offerings Our extensive selection of products includes natural, organic, specialty, produce and conventional grocery, and non-food products. We offer nationally recognized brand name and private label products, including grocery (both perishable and nonperishable), general merchandise, home, health and beauty care, and pharmacy, which are sold through our Wholesale segment to wholesale customers and our Retail stores. We offer the following main product categories: grocery and general merchandise; perishables; frozen foods; wellness and personal care items; and bulk and foodservice products. Our owned brands portfolio is a collection of brands that offer high quality solutions for private label to our customers. ESSENTIAL EVERYDAY® is our leading national brand equivalent private label solution with nearly 2,200 items for departments throughout the store. It is complemented by SHOPPERS VALUE®, which offers the budget conscious consumer quality alternatives to national brands. Our WILD HARVEST® brand offers a full range of products made with simple, wholesome ingredients across multiple categories, including pet foods. Our Field Day® brand is primarily sold to natural store / co-op retailers as a private label solution. Our category-specific brands, primarily including STONE RIDGE CREAMERY®, EQUALINE®, and CULINARY CIRCLE®, also provide national brand equivalent products at a competitive price. Our Blue Marble Brands portfolio is a collection of national brands that offer United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) organic, non-GMO Project Verified, and specialty food and non-food items. The WOODSTOCK® brand has been pioneering organic / non-GMO products for over 35 years and continues to launch innovative products. Our subsidiary doing business as Woodstock Farms Manufacturing specializes in importing, roasting, packaging and distributing nuts, dried fruit, seeds, trail mixes, granola, natural and organic snack items and confections for our customers and in the Company’s branded products. We operate an organic (USDA and Quality Assurance International (“QAI”)) and kosher (Circle K) certified packaging, roasting, and processing facility in New Jersey that is SQF (Safety Quality Food) level 2 certified. Woodstock Farms Manufacturing sells items manufactured in bulk and through private label packaging arrangements with large health food, supermarket and convenience store chains and independent retailers. Our Service Offerings We offer a broad array of professional services that provide Wholesale customers with cost-effective and scalable business solutions. Our services are designed to help customers address business challenges, better serve their customers and compete in the marketplace. These services include solutions we develop and provide directly, as well as pass-through programs in which vendors provide services directly to our Wholesale customers. We provide shelf and planogram management, retail store support, pricing strategy, electronic payments processing, advertising, couponing, store layout and design, equipment sourcing and procurement, point-of-sale hardware and software, network and data hosting solutions, consumer convenience services, eCommerce, automation tools, sustainability services and administrative back-office solutions. The sales and operating results for these services are included within Wholesale. 4 Table of Contents We offer a variety of marketing services designed to increase sales for our customers and suppliers, including consumer and trade marketing programs, as well as programs to support suppliers in understanding our markets. Trade and consumer marketing programs are supplier-sponsored programs that cater to a broad range of retail formats. Retail marketing programs offer web and digital marketing services, including websites, mobile applications and eCommerce capabilities, and circular programs for our customers and vendors. Supplier marketing programs include information sharing programs designed to provide heightened transparency to suppliers through demand planning, forecasting and procurement insights. We have also created a retail media network, the UNFI Media Network (“UMN”), that enables retailers to reach their consumers digitally while connecting to our large network of suppliers, who in turn, can utilize the platform for personalized and targeted digital marketing. All of our programs and services are designed to educate consumers, profile suppliers and increase sales for retailers, many of which do not have the resources necessary to conduct such marketing programs independently. Our goal is to provide support to ensure collective long-term success. In addition to these services, we provide data, insights and resources that help our customers compete and succeed in their respective markets. We also offer our customers: • trends reports in the natural and organic industry: • product data information such as best seller lists, store usage reports and catalogs; • in-store signage and promotional materials, and assistance with product display planning and set up; • shelf tags for products; and • a robust retailer portal with product information, search and ordering capabilities, reports and publications. Our Suppliers We purchase our products from nearly 11,000 suppliers. The majority of our suppliers are based in the United States and Canada, but we also source products from suppliers throughout the world. We believe suppliers seek to distribute their products through us because we provide access to a large customer base across the United States and Canada, distribute the majority of the suppliers’ products and offer a wide variety of marketing programs to our customers to help sell our suppliers’ products. Substantially all product categories that we distribute are available from a number of suppliers and, therefore, we are not dependent on any single supply source for any product category. In addition, although we have exclusive distribution arrangements and support programs with several suppliers, none of our suppliers accounted for more than 5% of our total purchases in fiscal 2024. We have positioned ourselves as one of the largest purchasers of organically grown bulk products in the natural and organic products industry by centralizing our purchase of nuts, seeds, grains, flours and dried foods. As a result, we are able to negotiate purchases from suppliers on the basis of volume and other considerations that may include discounted pricing or prompt payment discounts. Furthermore, some of our purchase arrangements include the right of return to the supplier with respect to products that we do not sell in a specified period of time. Each region is responsible for placing its own orders and can select the products that it believes will most appeal to its customers, although each region is able to participate in our company-wide purchasing programs. Our Distribution Network Logistics We select the sites for our distribution centers to provide direct access to the markets we serve and configure them to minimize total operating costs. This proximity allows us to reduce our transportation costs relative to those of our competitors that seek to service these customers from locations that are often further away. We believe that we incur lower inbound freight expense than our regional competitors because our scale allows us to buy full and partial truckloads of products. Products are delivered to our distribution centers primarily by our fleet of leased and owned trucks, contract carriers and the suppliers themselves. When financially advantageous, we pick up products from suppliers or satellite staging facilities and return them to our distribution centers using our own trucks. Additionally, the scale of our distribution network provides us with the flexibility to shift volume amongst distribution centers in the case of volume spikes, unique customer needs, temporary inbound fill rate challenges and weather-related events as well as the capacity to support future sales growth. The majority of our trucks are leased and are maintained by third-party national leasing companies, which in some cases maintain facilities on our premises for the maintenance and service of these vehicles. We also have facilities where we operate our own maintenance shops. 5 Table of Contents We ship certain orders for supplements or for items that are destined for areas outside of regular delivery routes through independent carriers. Deliveries to areas outside the continental United States and Canada are typically shipped by freight-forwarders through ocean-going containers. Organic Certification We have 33 distribution centers in the United States that are “National Organic Program certified as Organic Handlers by QAI”. Our California locations are certified as Organic Handlers by QAI, and we are registered as Organic Handlers with the State of California Department of Public Health Food and Drug Branch and the California Department of Food and Agriculture. In addition, our Canadian distribution center in British Columbia holds an Organic Distributor certification from QAI. We maintain a comprehensive quality assurance program. All products we sell that are represented as organic are required to be certified as such by an independent third-party agency. We maintain current certification affidavits on most organic commodities and produce in order to verify the authenticity of the product. Most potential suppliers of organic products are required to provide such third-party certifications to us before they are approved as suppliers. Our Technology Investments We continue to make significant investments in distribution, financial, information and warehouse management systems. We continually evaluate and upgrade our systems and distribution center infrastructure to enhance security, efficiency, cost-effectiveness and responsiveness to customer needs. We believe these systems include best in class functionality in warehouse management systems, inventory control, labor management, scan-based fulfillment applications, mechanized pick-to-light systems and order management systems. We are in the process of updating our fulfillment technology with Universal Product Code (“UPC”) scan-based technology for selection, loading and customer deliveries to ensure order accuracy throughout the supply chain. We have also begun to make significant investments in warehouse automation solutions to support full case and unit pick fulfillment processes. These investments are intended to unlock our supply chain capabilities, improve customer experience and enable growth. We continue to leverage a management information system that enables us to lower inbound transportation costs by making optimum use of our own fleet of trucks and/or by consolidating deliveries to achieve full truckloads. In addition, we use cloud solutions to assist us in developing the most efficient routes, tracking vehicle maintenance and monitoring driver safety and the movement of trucks in real-time. As part of our “one company” approach, we continue an effort to standardize to best in industry software solutions for inventory procurement, order management, transportation operations and warehouse management systems throughout our network. Our investment in technology is intended to improve our supply chain effectiveness for our suppliers, associates and customers enabling our collective success. Competition Our Wholesale and Retail businesses operate in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving industry, which is characterized by low profit margins, new business models and the entry of new, non-traditional competitors that intensify competition. Our food distribution business competes with many traditional and specialty grocery wholesalers and retailers that maintain or develop self-distribution systems for the business of independent grocery retailers. We also increasingly compete with retailers that maintain or develop self-distribution systems, as well as companies that offer services in digital advertising, fulfillment and delivery services, health and wellness and financial services. The primary competitive factors in the Wholesale business include price, service level, product quality, variety, availability, location of distribution centers and other value-added services. In recent years, consolidation within the grocery industry has resulted in, and is expected to continue to result in, increased competition, including from some competitors that have greater financial, marketing and other resources than we do. Independent retailers and smaller Chain customers represent a significant portion of our business and face intense competition from national grocery chains, supercenters, deep discounters, mass merchandisers, limited assortment stores and eCommerce providers, many of whom offer expansive services beyond grocery. Our retail banners compete with traditional and specialty grocery stores, supercenters, deep discounters, mass merchandisers, limited assortment stores and eCommerce providers. The principal competitive factors in grocery retail include the location and image of the store; the price, quality, and variety of the fresh offering; and the quality, convenience, and consistency of service. Competitive strategies vary based on many factors, such as the competitor’s format, strengths, weaknesses, pricing, and sales focus. Our retail stores have continued to respond to growing competition from online and non-traditional retailers by adding options and services such as online ordering, curbside pick-up and home delivery. 6 Table of Contents Government Regulation Our operations and many of the products that we distribute in the United States are subject to regulation by state and local health departments, the USDA and the United States Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”), which generally impose standards for product quality and sanitation and are responsible for the administration of bioterrorism legislation. In the United States, our facilities generally are inspected at least once annually by state or federal authorities. For certain product lines, we are also subject to the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Inspection Act, the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act, the Packers and Stockyard Act and regulations promulgated by the USDA to interpret and implement these statutory provisions. The USDA imposes standards for product safety, quality and sanitation through the federal meat and poultry inspection program. The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act in the United States and the Safe Foods for Canadians Act in Canada have expanded food safety requirements across the food supply chain and, among other things, impose additional regulations focused on prevention of food contamination, more frequent inspection of high-risk facilities, increased record-keeping, and improved tracing of food. Products that do not meet regulatory standards and/or comply with these regulations may be considered to be adulterated and/or misbranded and subject to recall. The Surface Transportation Board and the Federal Highway Administration regulate our trucking operations. In addition, interstate motor carrier operations are subject to safety requirements prescribed by the United States Department of Transportation and other relevant federal and state agencies. Such matters as weight and dimension of equipment are also subject to federal and state regulations. Our facilities are subject to regulations issued pursuant to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Act by the U.S. Department of Labor and similar regulations by state agencies. These regulations require us to comply with certain health and safety standards to protect our employees from recognized hazards. We are also subject to the National Labor Relations Act, which provides employees the right to organize and bargain collectively with their employer and to engage in other protected concerted activity, and the Fair Labor Standards Act, which establishes minimum wages and overtime standards, among other requirements. Our facilities in the United States and in Canada are subject to various environmental protection statutes and regulations, including those relating to the use of water resources and the discharge of wastewater. Further, many of our distribution facilities have ammonia-based refrigeration systems and tanks for the storage of diesel fuel, hydrogen fuel and other petroleum products which are subject to laws regulating such systems and storage tanks. Moreover, in some of our facilities we, or third parties with whom we contract, perform vehicle maintenance. Our policy is to comply with all applicable federal, state, provincial and local provisions relating to the protection of the environment or the discharge of materials. Our international business operations are subject to various laws and regulations regarding the import and export of products and preventing corruption and bribery (including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act). We have implemented and continue to develop import/export and anti-corruption compliance programs and processes to comply with applicable laws and regulations governing our international business activities. Human Capital Management Our employees are critical to supporting our values and achieving our strategic vision, and we are striving to be an employer of choice. We are focused on associate engagement, empowerment and safety to foster innovation and bring best-in-class solutions to our customers and suppliers in an ever-changing retail landscape, including new ways of work scheduling and productivity investments. The Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors has oversight of human capital management matters with a focus on associate wellbeing across a variety of measures. As of August 3, 2024, we had approximately 28,333 full and part-time employees, 10,704 of whom (approximately 38%) are covered by 48 collective bargaining agreements, including existing agreements under negotiation. We have been the focus of union-organizing efforts, and we believe it is likely that similar efforts will continue in the future. 7 Table of Contents Developing Talent Attracting and retaining talent is one of our top priorities. Our goal is to differentiate ourselves in the market by offering flexibility to associates in the way, when and how they work. To reduce turnover, we have an emphasized focus on and commitment to our associates, their experiences as well as their continued engagement. We are committed to the continued support and development of our associates and provide access to robust leadership development programming, role-based training and other career development opportunities at every stage of an associate’s tenure with us. Designed to enhance the leadership capabilities of our people, we design and deliver optional programs to leaders across all departments to come together to learn and practice their management skills as well as identify opportunities to lead more effectively. The Elevate program for Director-level and above associates works to solidify our talent pipeline and promote the success of the organization’s future leaders. Our Learning & Development teams partner with key groups such as Sales, Operations, Transportation and Environmental Health & Safety to develop role-based training to drive greater productivity and safety. We also offer associates additional learning and career development opportunities that extend from skills-based training deployed electronically through our BetterU learning system, to mentorship programs and career development discussions and beyond. Compensation and Benefits Our compensation and benefits programs are designed to promote a culture of wellbeing and recognize our associates for their outstanding achievements and dedication to serving our customers and keeping them safe during even the most challenging of times. We are committed to offering market competitive pay programs that reward high levels of performance and behaviors that challenge convention and drive company success. Our short-term incentive programs are tied to the Company’s financial goals and are intended to align our eligible associates’ rewards with our financial success. Long-term incentives, including restricted stock units and performance stock unit awards, are designed to attract and retain innovative leaders and align their financial interests with that of our shareholders and other stakeholders. As part of our commitment to recognize our associates’ “whole self” – health, finances and overall wellbeing – we offer a comprehensive health and welfare benefit program to eligible associates providing a variety of medical, dental and vision options plus additional voluntary benefits like long-term disability and optional life insurance. Additionally, we provide to eligible associates a leading edge, no-cost wellness program, paid time off programs including paid parental leave, an employee assistance program, 401(k) plan and a recently enhanced education assistance program. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion In order to recruit, inspire and retain the most talented team at all levels that maximizes speed, agility, innovation, execution and performance from the Boardroom to our distribution centers, we pledge to promote equity, celebrate diversity and support inclusion for all. Our Board of Directors is diverse in gender and ethnic background, as well as having a broad range of experience, with four out of 11 directors identifying as female, two members identifying as African American, one member identifying as Asian American, one member identifying as LGBTQ+ and one member identifying as a veteran. We recognize that innovation thrives when there is unity and respect for diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Additionally, we aim to foster a culture of belonging, equity and empathy through open dialogues, educational opportunities and by honoring the experiences and special events that speak to our associates’ many identities. We built a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (“DEI”) team, and our DEI strategy is built on a foundation of research, best practices and leadership commitment. Our Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Wellbeing oversees our DEI efforts, inclusive procurement initiatives and wellbeing programs. Our diversity and wellbeing council and seven associate-led Belonging & Innovation Groups actively strive to create a workplace where all associates feel welcome and are motivated to reach their full potential. We developed a multi-pronged approach to educate and engage associates that includes open discussions on various dimensions of diversity, a podcast, DEI and mental health awareness trainings on our associate platforms, targeted volunteerism, and campaigns encouraging respect and empathy. Creating a Safe Environment Safety is at the forefront of everything we do. We continue to focus on the safety of our associates, customers, communities and consumers with increased safety measures. We continue to be committed to continuous learning and improvement, and we believe in the power of learning from past experiences to enhance our safety system and performance, including through root cause incident analysis. We also continue to invest in our safety brand and pledge, Every Moment Matters, which is designed to foster a culture of caring and doing the right thing. 8 Table of Contents This past year, we focused on reducing lost time injuries (“LTI”), improving our root cause analysis process, implementing a comprehensive safety management software solution, completing internal and external audits and closing findings identified therein, creating more comprehensive reporting on key performance indicators and continuing to build upon our safety culture. In fiscal 2024, we were able to reduce our LTI rate by nearly 50%. We also began installation of a new video telematics solution to optimize fleet operations and improve driver safety, while continuing to reduce our preventable accident rates. Additionally, we increased our focus on how we deliver value to our customers and consumers, strengthening our food safety programs with the creation of our vision for a world class food safety management system. Seasonality Overall product sales are fairly balanced throughout the year, although demand for certain products of a seasonal nature may be influenced by holidays, changes in seasons or other annual events. Our working capital needs are generally greater during the months of and leading up to high sales periods, such as the buildup in inventory leading to the calendar year-end holidays. Our inventory, accounts payable and accounts receivable levels may be impacted by macroeconomic impacts and changes in food-at-home purchasing rates. These effects can result in normal operating fluctuations in working capital balances, which in turn can result in changes to cash flow from operations that are not necessarily indicative of long-term operating trends. Available Information Our internet address is http://www.unfi.com. The contents of our website are not incorporated by reference into or considered to be part of this Annual Report, and our internet address is included in this document as an inactive textual reference only. We make our Annual Report, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and all amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) available free of charge through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we file such reports with, or furnish such reports to, the Securities and Exchange Commission.