Natural Foods Distributor Coming to Sturtevant

Sturtevant officials announced Friday that United Natural Foods Inc. is going build a new facility Highways 11 and H.

The company's website says it's "North America's leading distributor of natural, organic and specialty products." The new commercial project is expected to add 244 jobs at what had been known Project Green, a development with an estimated value of $32 million.

The new facility will be a LEED-certified project, meaning some of the most up-to-date eco-friendly building practices and materials will be used on the building.

Headquartered in Providence, RI, the company's site here will probably include both office and warehouse space. Other distribution centers measure from 238,000 square feet to almost 700,000 square feet.

Sturtevant Village Clerk/Interim Administrator Mary Cole said the company will issue a press release with details about the project.

Some of the brands the company represents includes Earth Organics, Woodstock Farms and Albert's Organics.

United Natural Foods was started in 1976 as Mountain People's Warehouse, founded by Michael Funk selling organic produce. In 1996, Funk merged Mountain People’s Warehouse with Cornucopia Natural Foods, a New England distributor.

Sturtevant is having a special Village Board meeting Monday to finalize the developer's agreeement for the project.