When the first rail cars filled with waffle fries and hashbrowns rolled into Chick-fil-A Supply’s new distribution center in Texas, it was an exciting first for the company responsible for delivering the beloved crispy treats to Chick-fil-A restaurants.
Subscribe to Inside Track
It was also a thrilling first for Union Pacific Railroad.
The new distribution center located at Union Pacific’s Prime Pointe Industrial Park near Hutchins, Texas, is the first rail-served distribution center operated by Chick-fil-A Supply. It receives potato products almost daily from Oregon.
“We are so proud that Chick-fil-A Supply chose Union Pacific and its industrial park to build and develop this new cold-storage distribution center,” said Jason Hess, senior vice president – Marketing and Sales for Union Pacific Railroad. “We are also happy to do our part to take trucks off the road and facilitate the fast and efficient delivery of these popular fries.”
Union Pacific's Prime Pointe Industrial Park
A 3,000-acre rail-served park near Dallas, Texas, close to four major interstate highways and three airports. Ideal for distribution, warehouse and manufacturing development.
The new facility is one of nine distribution centers operated by Chick-fil-A Supply, the transportation and distribution company behind one of the fastest growing quick-service restaurants in America with more than 3,000 stores in 48 states. (Alaska and Vermont are the unlucky two.)
The center, which will serve more than 200 regional restaurants, received its first rail car on Sept. 3, with Chick-fil-A Supply utilizing both privately-owned refrigerated boxcars and Union Pacific-owned boxcars.
“This new distribution center allows us to maintain a high-level and efficient supply of product to our restaurants in and around the Dallas area at a reasonable cost,” said Dan Marques, senior director of distribution operations for Chick-fil-A Supply. “It’s an investment in our future, and we appreciated all of Union Pacific’s support leading up to that first train’s arrival.”
The new facility will average about six rail cars a day, with each car carrying the equivalent of three truckloads of product. To put it another way, the facility removes more than 100 long-haul trucks off the road each week.
Chick-fil-A is known for their signature waffle fries.
The 2.5-year project required a lot of cooperation and collaboration between Chick-fil-A Supply and Union Pacific long before the first train car arrived on site. On the railroad side, numerous departments were involved, including Operating, Real Estate and Network Economic & Industrial Development, which helped to coordinate efforts between Chick-fil-A Supply and Union Pacific’s engineering teams.
Members of both Union Pacific’s Operating and Safety teams also provided training to Chick-fil-A Supply personnel on how to safely manage train cars, and helped them through the certification process.
“It was amazing to see all of these departments within Union Pacific come together to work with Chick-fil-A Supply and help them get this project off the ground and open for deliveries,” said Trent Vencil, manager – Marketing and Sales, for Union Pacific. “Chick-fil-A was a great company to work with, and we’re all thrilled to have them aboard.”
For their part, Chick-fil-A Supply appreciated the railroad’s assist.
“Union Pacific was a very good partner who helped us to get up and going, long before we even received our first carload,” said Hector Najarro, transportation team leader for Chick-fil-A Supply.
Union Pacific and Chick-fil-A Supply employees celebrate the arrival of Union Pacific's first train at the distribution center.
;void(0))
