United Natural Foods, Inc. California Food Logistics System Electrification Blueprint​

The transportation industry is moving towards a zero-emission future and United Natural Foods, Inc. is transitioning its fleet of trucks and trailer refrigeration units from diesel to zero-emission vehicles to meet California Air Resources Board regulations. To help prepare for its transition, United Natural Foods, Inc. partnered with Build Momentum, Inc. to apply for CEC funding for Blueprints for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure. United Natural Foods Inc.'s zero-emission vehicle Blueprint aims to enable the company to equip its fleet with heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles and resilient charging or hydrogen refueling infrastructure, provide replicable strategies for deploying zero-emission medium and heavy-duty fleets, and articulate a holistic and futuristic view of transportation planning. The Blueprint accomplished a variety of objectives such as engaging internal and external stakeholders, developing performance specifications, identifying workforce education and training resources, advancing facility site design, developing a phased infrastructure deployment approach, and mapping the ecosystem of strategic partners and business model innovations. Through the Blueprint, United Natural Foods, Inc. was able to achieve its goal of defining a feasible approach and business model for its zero-emission vehicle transition. United Natural Foods, Inc.'s key findings include cautiously optimistic feedback from internal stakeholders, enthusiasm from internal leadership, identification of resources needed for workforce education and training, vetting of facility site designs, creation of a phased infrastructure deployment, and mapping of the ecosystem of strategic partners and business model innovations. The United Natural Foods, Inc. zero-emission vehicle Blueprint concludes that early movers in the medium and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicle space can expect significant benefits, despite some risks.