James Douglas

Chief Executive Officer & Director, UNITED NATURAL FOODS INC

Search every verified James Douglas interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. James Douglas, chief executive officer of United Natural Foods, discussed the company's third-quarter fiscal 2025 results during a June ​10 earnings call. He said the company delivered strong sales, adjusted EBITDA, and free cash flow growth compared to the prior year's third quarter. Douglas also stated that improving execution, adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow outperformance, and network optimization proceeds were expected to lower net leverage to nearly 2.5 turns by the end of fiscal 2026, about a year earlier than previously anticipated. He noted plans to update long-term financial objectives after finalizing the fiscal 2026 budgeting process. Douglas also addressed a recent cybersecurity incident, describing the timeline in which the company became aware of an unauthorized entrant in its technology on a Thursday, began analysis, decided to lock systems down by late Friday afternoon, and filed an 8K on Monday morning before market open. He declined to speculate on regulatory involvement. Additionally, Douglas discussed network optimization efforts, including adjustments to distribution center footprint, such as moving from York to Manchester with increased square footage and automation, as part of a broader three-year plan focused on market and customer profitability.