United Natural Foods

United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) is a Providence, Rhode Island–based natural and organic food company. The largest publicly traded wholesale distributor of health and specialty food in the United States and Canada,^[3][4] it is Whole Foods Market's main supplier, with their traffic making up over a third of its revenue in 2018.^[5]

United Natural Foods, Inc.

Company type	Public
Traded as	NYSE: UNFI S&P 600 component
Industry	Food Wholesale/Distribution
Founded	1976
Headquarters	Providence, RI , United States
Area served	United States, Canada
Key people	J. Alexander (Sandy) Miller Douglas (CEO)[1] Eric Dorne (COO)
Products	wholesale natural, organic, ethnic and gourmet, grocery, produce, perishables, personal care, and supplements.
Revenue	US$27 billion
Operating income	US$241.96 million (2015)
Number of employees	28,300 [2] (2021)
Divisions	Alberts Fresh Produce Honest Green eSolutions Nor-Cal Produce Tony’s Fine Foods UNFI Brands+ UNFI Canada UNFI Easy Options UNFI Wellness Woodstock Farms
Website	unfi.com

History

UNFI was founded in 1996 by the merger of two regional distributors—Mountain People's Warehouse (founded in 1976, serving the Western U.S.) and Cornucopia Natural Foods (founded in 1977, serving the Eastern U.S.)—forming the first natural products distributorship with national scope.^[6] Since 1996, other regional distributors have merged with UNFI, filling in the distribution footprint and making UNFI the largest distributor of natural products.^[7]

In 2007, UNFI acquired Millbrook Distribution Services.^[8] In 2011, UNFI signed a distribution agreement with Safeway Inc. for the distribution of non-proprietary natural, organic and specialty products.^[9] This agreement was terminated by Safeway in July 2015,^[10] leading to a drop in share price and two rounds of layoffs, the first in the company's history.

In 2012, UNFI partnered with Buyer's Best Friend to create a unified reordering system.^{[clarification needed][11]} In 2016, the company completed the acquisition of Nor-Cal produce, Inc.,^[12] Haddon House Food Products, Inc.,^[13] and Gourmet Guru, Inc.^[14] On October 22, 2018, UNFI completed the acquisition of SuperValu, Inc.^[15]

Divisions

• UNFI Canada
• Alberts Fresh Produce
• Tony's Fine Foods
• Nor-Cal Produce
• UNFI Wellness
• Woodstock Farms
• UNFI Brands+
• Honest Green eSolutions
• UNFI Easy Options

Brands

• Essential Everyday
• Cub
• Woodstock
• Wild Harvest
• Equaline
• Tumaro's Carb Wise Wraps
• Field Day
• Shoppers Value
• Asian Gourmet
• Culinary Circle
• Stone Ridge Creamery
• Mt Vikos
• Super Chill
• Arctic Shores
• Springfield
• Koyo