Distribution Center Design for Chick-fil-A

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Distribution Center Design for Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A is one of the largest American fast food restaurant chains and the largest whose specialty is chicken sandwiches. The company operates more than 2,672 restaurants, primarily in the United States with locations in 47 states and the District of Columbia.

Project Objectives/Challenges

Chick-fil-A, Inc. (CFA) engaged Sedlak as its supply chain engineering partner. CFA intends to own and operate distribution centers, beginning with one in 2020, and ramping up to seven by 2028. Having never operated their own DC’s, CFA had to start from scratch – DC sizing, Cooler & Freezer capacities, employee amenities, delivery fleet, and many other considerations.

What Sedlak Did

Led the facility sizing and design effort for a new regional Chick-fil-A distribution center, likely to be the largest in the network. Performed data analysis, conceptual evaluation, ROI estimations, layout design, budget development and preparation of RFP documents for potential suppliers. Worked closely with the Architect and GC to properly design a food-distribution cold-storage facility.

Also, CFA wanted to operate a “test” DC, very low volume, in an existing building across the street from their first Greenfield location. Sedlak helped size the dry, cooler, and freezer areas along with helping procure and install the material handling equipment.

Sedlak also provided a template for CFA to use for future DC’s – three different sizes based on volume – as well as performed several layout options for existing buildings CFA was doing due diligence on for the next location(s).

Results

CFA successfully opened their first distribution center
Sedlak provided CFA with a template for three common-sized DC’s in the future
CFA has taken this leap to operate their own distribution network

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