United Natural Foods and ECRS Sign Agreement to Drive Growth and Efficiency for Grocery Retailers

Rhea-AI Summary

United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE: UNFI) has partnered with ECRS to enhance the CATAPULT retail solution, providing tools for independent retailers to boost sales and improve customer experiences. This agreement allows ECRS to assist existing CATAPULT users in utilizing UNFI's Professional Services suite, which includes digital coupons and payment services. UNFI aims to simplify operations through technology, enhancing the business for retailers. The collaboration is expected to streamline supply chain processes, with ECRS Gateway managing over 2,000 EDI accounts, processing more than 500,000 electronic transactions in 2023.

Positive

• Partnership with ECRS enhances retail operations for independent grocery retailers.
• UNFI's Professional Services suite offers digital coupons and efficient payment solutions.
• Streamlined supply chain processes through ECRS Gateway expected to improve efficiency.

Negative

• None.

CATAPULT connects transaction touchpoints across a retail enterprise, streamlining point of sale operations

PROVIDENCE, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE: UNFI) ("UNFI") and ECRS, a Certified Evergreen™ transaction and retail solutions provider, today announced an agreement allowing ECRS to assist new and existing CATAPULT retail users in taking advantage of the UNFI Professional Services suite from digital coupons and third-party delivery services to more affordable electronic payments. The agreement provides for a direct and formal working relationship, particularly around Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) capabilities, and empowers UNFI field associates through ECRS retail automation technology training.

UNFI and ECRS are helping grocery retailers better compete by connecting critical retail operations technologies in real time, such as point-of-sale and online ordering, while having access to the suite of UNFI Professional Services from digital coupons and third-party delivery services to more affordable electronic payments. (Photo: Business Wire)

UNFI Professional Services’ customizable suite of business solutions help independent grocery retailers increase sales, lower costs, and enhance their customers’ experience. The CATAPULT retail automation solution connects inventory and supply chain, customer loyalty, point-of-sale, self-service, online ordering, and other critical retail operations technologies in real time. UNFI customers already using CATAPULT will experience an elevated customer experience in a seamless, cost-saving solution.

“UNFI retail customers utilize our scale, insights, and innovative offerings to deliver a differentiated value proposition and our agreement with ECRS will help these retailers continue to grow and thrive,” said UNFI President Chris Testa. “It is imperative in today’s environment that retailers use technology to simplify their business and elevate the shopping experience, giving them more time to focus on their consumers. This is another example of how our services offering and key business partnerships are making a difference for our customers and helping them compete in today’s challenging marketplace.”

With ECRS’ subscription-based supply chain software, ECRS Gateway®, and UNFI’s Data Exchange program, UNFI retail customers can easily automate supply chain processes and simplify the ordering experience. CATAPULT users can electronically submit a variety of documents, including purchase orders and receive invoices, promotional files, and catalog data.

“UNFI provides a great deal of technological services at a scale that can give our mutual retail customers tremendous leverage in the marketplace,” said Pete Catoe, ECRS Founder and CEO. “This agreement allows ECRS to play an active role in ensuring our UNFI customers can take full advantage of these competitive differentiators. ECRS has been working closely with UNFI for over two decades, and we are very appreciative of the organization and its people.”

Currently, ECRS Gateway hosts over 2,000 EDI accounts across UNFI’s retail customer network. Using ECRS Gateway, these retailer accounts are expected to process over 500,000 electronic transmissions in 2023, in the form of purchasing and receiving documents to and from UNFI. Not only are these orders automatically transmitted to UNFI, but many of them are also created automatically, through CATAPULT’s advanced scheduling and computer-assisted replenishment models. This reduces the need for manual entry and puts products on the floor faster.

Retailers interested in learning more about this program can reach out to UNFI’s Professional Services or visit the ECRS booth #1137 at the NGA Show in Las Vegas, Nev. from Feb. 26-28.

About UNFI

UNFI is North America's premier grocery wholesaler delivering the widest variety of fresh, branded, and owned brand products to more than 30,000 locations throughout North America, including natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional supermarket chains, ecommerce providers, and food service customers. UNFI also provides a broad range of value-added services and segmented marketing expertise, including proprietary technology, data, market insights, and shelf management to help customers and suppliers build their businesses and brands. As the largest full-service grocery partner in North America, UNFI is committed to building a food system that is better for all and is uniquely positioned to deliver great food, more choices, and fresh thinking to customers. To learn more about how UNFI is Fueling the Future of Food, visit www.unfi.com.

ABOUT ECRS

ECRS is a US-based, Certified Evergreen™ retail transaction solutions provider, with a record of consistent success that stretches over 30 years. ECRS future-proofs local and regional retailers to win in today’s market, while preparing them for tomorrow’s opportunities. Its revolutionary CATAPULT® POS system is the market’s only truly unified transaction platform, running in thousands of locations across North America. Unifying hardware, software, and services, ECRS offers friction-free, cost-saving solutions that increase customer engagement while transforming the consumer experience.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230216005329/en/

For UNFI Investors:

Kristyn Farahmand

401-213-2160

kristyn.farahmand@unfi.com

-or-

Steve Bloomquist

952-828-4144

steve.j.bloomquist@unfi.com

For Media:

UNFI

Jeff Swanson

952-903-1645

jeffrey.s.swanson@unfi.com

ECRS

Brittany Benton

800.211.1172

newsroom@ecrs.com

Source: United Natural Foods, Inc.