UNFI Cyberattack Disrupts Grocery Supply Chain

UNFI Addresses Ongoing Supply Chain Disruption Following Cyberattack

United Natural Foods (UNFI), a major U.S. grocery distributor, announced on Tuesday its efforts to fully restore operational capabilities. This follows a cyberattack reported last week that continues to cause disruptions within the grocery supply chain.

Incident Management and Customer Support

As part of its third-quarter earnings report, UNFI stated it is “diligently managing” the cyber incident confirmed on Monday. The company is actively focused on providing “short-term solutions” to its customers wherever feasible, according to UNFI chief executive Sandy Douglas.

During the post-results conference call, Douglas emphasized that UNFI is “continuing to safely bring our systems back online.” The priority is to reinstate comprehensive customer service as quickly as possible.

Network Shutdown and System Restoration

UNFI serves as the primary distributor for Whole Foods, owned by Amazon, and provides over 250,000 grocery store products, including frozen items. The company disclosed on Monday the detection of unauthorized access to its IT systems.

Douglas revealed during Tuesday’s call that the company proactively shut down its entire network in response to the security breach.

Operational Impact and Order Fulfillment

The specific nature of the cyberattack remains undisclosed. However, UNFI confirmed that the intrusion is causing ongoing disruptions to its operations, specifically impacting its ability to fulfill and distribute customer orders.

Douglas informed investors that the company is currently shipping to customers “on a limited basis.”

Customer Experiences and Retail Impact

A UNFI customer shared with TechCrunch that they were launching a new product in Whole Foods stores this week, but experienced significant delivery delays. This customer reported receiving no communication regarding the disruption from either UNFI or Whole Foods.

TechCrunch has received reports indicating diminished product availability or empty shelves in some stores affected by the UNFI disruption. It is currently unclear whether these issues are solely attributable to the cyberattack or other existing supply chain challenges.

The full extent of the impact on grocery stores and consumers may not be apparent until later in the week.

Responses from Whole Foods and UNFI

Whole Foods has not yet responded to a request for comment from TechCrunch. However, Reuters reported a Whole Foods spokesperson stating they are “working to restock our shelves as quickly as possible.” Further inquiries were directed back to UNFI.

Cybersecurity Investment and Responsibility

The amount UNFI has invested in cybersecurity measures, and the individual or team ultimately responsible for cybersecurity within the company, remains unclear.

A UNFI spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment from TechCrunch on Tuesday.

System Status and Financial Outlook

According to checks by TechCrunch, many of UNFI’s external-facing systems are currently offline. This includes web-based systems used by suppliers and customers, as well as the company’s VPN products.

UNFI reported $8.1 billion in net sales for the quarter ending May 3, 2025. The company initially anticipated a loss in net income and earnings per share for its 2025 outlook, following the termination of a contract with a grocery store chain in the U.S. northeast.

However, UNFI is not adjusting its outlook at this time, pending the “ongoing assessment” of the cyberattack’s impact.

Contact Information

Do you have additional information regarding the cyberattack at UNFI? Are you a corporate customer affected by this disruption? You can securely contact this reporter via encrypted message at zackwhittaker.1337 on Signal.