Chick-fil-A Supply

“As we celebrate five years of Chick-fil-A Supply we also celebrate the story of Steven Hammond, Lead Engineer, and his family’s legacy of serving at Chick-fil-A. Steven’s eye for innovation plays a critical role in the growth of our network of Distribution Centers serving Chick-fil-A Restaurants across the country”, Adam Harris, MBA, SAPM, Chick-fil-A Supply. 

Five years ago, the Chick-fil-A Supply distribution center in Cartersville, Georgia, made our first-ever restaurant delivery. By the end of 2024, our nine distribution centers will be delivering to more than 1,000 Chick-fil-A restaurants! We express our gratitude to the nearly 1,200+ Warehouse and Transportation Team Members and Chick-fil-A Supply Staff who support Chick-fil-A restaurants every day. Click here to learn five things about Chick-fil-A Supply in celebration of our five-year anniversary: https://lnkd.in/ex47C-vC

Brynn Albretsen, the local Owner-Operator of Chick-fil-A Florence, values her partnership with Chick-fil-A Supply® because of the team’s personal and proactive approach. The Chick-fil-A Supply team anticipates potential issues like weather concerns and reaches out if they notice something amiss with a delivery or at the Restaurant. “One time a Chick-fil-A Supply driver alerted my team to a possible water leak at my Restaurant,” Brynn remembers. “Thanks to the proactive communication from the driver, including pictures to pinpoint the source of the leak, a potentially disastrous situation turned into a minor maintenance problem.”  The partnership also includes personal touches of care that lets Brynn know her Restaurant is more than just a stop on the delivery route. In April, Brynn received the 2024 Spirit of Shoals Award for Best of Business from her local Chamber of Commerce in Florence, Alabama. The next day, Brynn received a message from Desiree Wilson, her Chick-fil-A Supply Lead Advisor. “Desiree let me know she was praying for me and asked all about the awards ceremony,” shared Brynn. “The genuine care reminds me of how my team seeks to serve our Guests.” “Celebrating Brynn and her Restaurant’s accomplishment brings us joy. Knowing that we are serving Restaurants in the same way they serve Guests, it fills our cup and reminds us that we are all part of the same team,” Desiree W., Sr. Lead Advisor, Chick-fil-A Supply.

Introducing Chick-fil-A Supply South Florida, located in Weston, FL. This Distribution Center (DC), tenth in the Chick-fil-A Supply network, represents our continued commitment to excellence in meeting the unique needs of our Chick-fil-A® restaurants in the region.   The facility will open in fall 2025 and will serve nearly 100 Restaurants in the greater South Florida area. Leadership roles for the DC have posted at https://lnkd.in/eRGYY5Xh. Driver, Warehouse Team Member and other roles will post later this year.   

Last week, Chick-fil-A Supply® hosted a Town Hall and tour of our newest Distribution Center (DC) in Selma, Texas. Community leaders, area Chick-fil-A® Restaurant Owner-Operators, and DC Team Members gathered at the cutting-edge facility, which will open later this month. The Selma DC, set to serve more than 135 Restaurants in the greater San Antonio area and South Texas region, is the second DC in Texas and the eighth in our network. General Manager Chris Sportello will oversee 120 team members and a fleet of more than 25 trucks. Mayor Thomas Daly welcomed the team to the new DC and shared, on behalf of the City, its excitement to have Chick-fil-A Supply contribute to the business growth in Selma, TX. John Esparza, President and CEO of the Texas Trucking Association, shared, “It is a wonderful partnership that the Texas Trucking Association has with Chick-fil-A Supply and one that we will continue to grow because the presence of freight across this entire state is not going to slow down and the appetite for Chick-fil-A is not going to slow down as well.” In line with Chick-fil-A's commitment to fighting hunger and food insecurity and to celebrate DC's opening, Chick-fil-A, Inc. donated $25,000 to Feeding America to support the San Antonio Food Bank local hunger relief efforts. Chris Sportello expressed his excitement, saying, "We are thrilled to be in this space and enjoyed hosting our community partners and the Restaurant Owner-Operators we will soon be serving. We are committed to growing this culture of service for our Team Members, Restaurant partners, and throughout this wonderful community."

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? For Celia Herring, the answer is easy. She started with the egg, selling chicken eggs to a grocer as a teenager, which eventually led her to the chicken with a role in Safety, Quality, and Compliance (SQC) for Chick-fil-A Supply®. Her high school egg business influenced her decision to study food science in college with an emphasis on quality and safety. After several years working in dairy manufacturing and quality assurance for a convenience store chain, she learned that Chick-fil-A was opening a distribution center (DC) near her home in North Carolina. “I’ve been eating at Chick-fil-A® since I was a kid,” Celia recalls. “I was curious if the level of care would be the same for someone working at a DC as I’ve experienced as a Customer. I knew I had to find out!” Starting as a Specialist, a year and a half ago, in the Mebane DC, Celia was recently promoted to Senior Specialist of Safety, Quality and Compliance where she is excited to serve the team at the new Chick-fil-A Supply Charlotte DC, opening later this year. Celia has embraced continuous learning opportunities at Chick-fil-A Supply that have helped her grow professionally and expand her capabilities. She encourages others interested in SQC to do the same, “in safety there are a lot of certifications you can get in OSHA, food safety, and transportation, so arm yourself with knowledge.” She also recognizes the strong support system she has found at work, “I can call anyone, anytime, to ask for help and they are there. It’s amazing to work on a team with this much support.” Today, Celia not only feels cared for but her role in SQC gives her ample opportunity to spread care as well. Safety is one of Chick-fil-A Supply’s key pillars - along with care and excellence - and is seen as more than just a ‘check the box’ exercise. Celia loves inspiring others through teaching, onboarding new hires, and interacting with Team Members on the floor during safety observations. She wants to help break any stigmas around SQC. “Chick-fil-A Supply uses safety as an extension of care. It’s not just about rules and regulations; it’s about caring for each other and our Team Members.” Since joining Chick-fil-A Supply, Celia is frequently asked about her experience, "People ask me, is it really that good? I tell them it really is! The values Truett instilled are never going away." Looking back on her journey Celia shares, "It's come full circle. I started in the egg business, and now I'm in the chicken business.” Interested in joining our team as an SQC Specialist? Visit cfa-supply.com to view current SQC openings.

Jeff Brown grew up in South Carolina with a single mother who valued education and modeled a strong work ethic. “She told me if I put my mind to it, I can do it," Jeff recalls, invoking his mom's confidence. So, after earning his degree from the University of South Carolina, Jeff put his mind to building a career in supply chain.  Now, as Jeff prepares to take on the role of General Manager at the Chick-fil-A Supply Columbia Distribution Center (DC) he is challenging himself to create a work environment where every Team Member feels valued and appreciated. His guiding principle is to treat everyone with care and respect, a philosophy that he lives by and instills in those around him.  Jeff values bringing his full self to work and sees similar values in Chick-fil-A Supply®. He has been struck by how the organization embraced not only him, but his entire family. His wife initially thought he was exaggerating when he described how welcomed he felt throughout his onboarding process, but a visit to the Support Center in Atlanta quickly dispelled her doubts. The warmth and genuine hospitality that Jeff had spoken of were not just words but a tangible part of the culture she experienced.  "Chick-fil-A wants to grow both names on the badge," Jeff says when talking about the idea of growing both the business and its people.  He aims to honor the legacy of Chick-fil-A® Founder S. Truett Cathy by fostering a team of "culture carriers," people who embody and promote the company's values. He advises new Team Members, "take the time to learn the culture here is real. It's not a gimmick. You'll want this to be your last, first day."

We’re so proud of our Chick-fil-A Supply® Mebane Distribution Center Drivers for their hard work and incredible representation of Chick-fil-A Supply at their first ever N.C. State Truck Driving Championships. We’re grateful to have such amazing professionals serving on our team in North Carolina.

As an experienced truck driver and a fan of Chick-fil-A®, Andrew Ward remembers walking into one of the local Restaurants with his wife and commenting, “If Chick-fil-A ever starts a distribution company, I’ll have to work there.” Five years later, in September 2022, Andrew joined the first Chick-fil-A Supply® hiring group in Nashville. After six months as a driver, Andrew stepped into his current role as a Lead Driver Trainer. From promoting early dispatch in response to inclement weather to collaborating with the Route Planning Team to ensure Driver needs are met, he consistently seeks feedback and suggestions for improvement. Andrew delights in placing the Driver at the forefront of every decision. He credits Dusty Engleman, General Manager of Chick-fil-A Supply Nashville Distribution Center (DC), with helping him navigate his new responsibilities, “Dusty is always there if I need help thinking through a work project, but he also gives me the autonomy to carve my own path.” Andrew’s ability to represent the Chick-fil-A Supply culture has also given him the opportunity to travel to other DCs to train their Lead Driver Trainers, sharing best practices and lessons learned. “From the moment you walk in, you see how good the facility is, a break room full of free food, top-notch equipment, people you care about who care about you, and every opportunity in the world to grow,” said Andrew. “That’s what I tell anyone curious about working at Chick-fil-A Supply, you don’t know what you’re missing until you experience it.”

It was our pleasure to host Chick-fil-A, Inc. CEO Andrew T. Cathy at our Chick-fil-A Supply Dallas Distribution Center (DC) last week. Andrew shared encouraging words on the work of Chick-fil-A Supply, spent time connecting with the distribution center team, and met with Dallas-Fort Worth area local Owner-Operators as DC operations ramp up to support 225+ Restaurants in the region.