United Natural Foods (UNFI), the largest publicly traded wholesale distributor in North America, has temporarily shut down several systems following a cyberattack that occurred on June 5th. The company, based in Rhode Island, operates 53 distribution centers and serves over 30,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada, including major supermarket chains and independent retailers.
In an 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and a press release issued by the company, UNFI disclosed that the cyberattack forced it to take certain systems offline, which has impacted its ability to fulfill customer orders. UNFI stated, “The incident has caused, and is expected to continue to cause, temporary disruptions to the Company’s business operations.”
In response to the breach, UNFI activated its incident response plan and implemented containment measures. The company has notified relevant law enforcement agencies and engaged external cybersecurity experts to investigate the incident. UNFI is currently working to restore its systems while implementing workarounds to maintain customer service continuity.
UNFI has not disclosed specific details regarding the nature of the attack or whether any data was compromised. The company is facing scrutiny amid growing concerns over cybersecurity within the food industry, which has seen a rise in cyberattacks in recent years. For instance, Walmart-owned Sam’s Club recently announced it is investigating claims of a Clop ransomware breach, while JBS Foods paid an $11 million ransom in 2021 following a ransomware attack that halted production at multiple sites worldwide. The frequency of such incidents highlights the ongoing vulnerabilities within the sector.