United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI), a primary distributor for grocery chains including Whole Foods Market, has disclosed a cybersecurity incident that has led to temporary operational disruptions across its network, FOX Business reports.
According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, UNFI detected “unauthorized activity” in certain information technology systems on June 5. In response, the company proactively shut down some of these systems to contain the issue and began working with cybersecurity experts to investigate and mitigate the impact.
The shutdown has affected UNFI’s ability to process and distribute customer orders, leading to temporary service disruptions. In a statement issued Monday, the company emphasized that it is actively working to restore full functionality while implementing workarounds to continue servicing customers where feasible.
UNFI CEO Sandy Douglas addressed the situation during the company’s third-quarter earnings call, noting that while the cyber event has posed challenges, efforts are underway to manage the impact and resume operations safely and efficiently.
“We are focused on diligently managing through the cyber incident… while helping our customers with short-term solutions wherever possible,” Douglas said.
UNFI supplies goods to more than 30,000 customer locations, including national and independent grocery retailers. As of midweek, some social media users reported encountering empty shelves at Whole Foods locations—an issue a Whole Foods spokesperson confirmed the chain is actively working to resolve.
UNFI said it is gradually restoring its ordering and receiving systems and remains committed to supporting its partners.
“Our customers, suppliers, and associates are our highest priority,” a spokesperson said, noting that the company is working closely with affected stakeholders to minimize further disruptions.
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing with support from forensic cybersecurity experts.
