UNFI Details How Solutions Help Customers and Suppliers Differentiate in Competitive Market, Highlights Supplier Circle of Excellence Winners and New UNFI Media Network
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — At its first Winter & Holiday Selling Show of 2024, held at the Mohegan Sun Convention Center in Uncasville, Conn., United Natural Foods, Inc. (the “Company” or “UNFI”) unveiled a selection of new, innovative products and solutions designed to help food retailers drive growth and profitability during the upcoming winter holiday selling season.
Nearly 1,400 customers visited more than 850 exhibitors, including over 50 suppliers from the Company’s New Product and Diverse Supplier showcases, during the two-day show. The Mohegan event featured UNFI’s full breadth of fresh, natural, organic, and conventional products as well as its complement of retail services, technology, insights, and solutions to help community grocers of all sizes differentiate, grow, and win in their markets.
“We’re focused on helping our retail customers differentiate and stand out, so they can focus on building loyalty with their shoppers. With the scale, custom insights, deep partnerships, and innovative products we bring to our shows, we are uniquely positioned to help retailers of all sizes and formats provide high-quality food and unique in-store experiences to compete even more effectively,” said UNFI Chief Customer Officer, Steve Dietz.
Showcasing the New UNFI Retail Media Network
At the show, UNFI highlighted its recently launched UNFI Media Network (UMN), powered by Swiftly. During the two well attended seminars, attendees had the chance to hear from Matt Eckhouse, UNFI President of Professional Services, Usman Waheed, UNFI Chief Digital Experience Officer, and Sean Turner, Swiftly Co-founder & Chief Innovation Officer, as they presented the unique features and benefits of the UMN for both customers and suppliers. Turner also delivered a detailed walk-through demonstrating the ease of joining the UMN and how its one-of-a-kind features deliver an unparalleled experience for retailers and shoppers alike.
Commenting on the UMN after hearing about it, Paul Hoffman, VP of Purchasing and Retail Sales for Healthy Living, said, “As I was hearing about how this program works, I was asking myself, ‘this sounds too easy, where’s the catch?’ And there wasn’t one. I’m excited to learn more as this sounds like a great opportunity for Healthy Living stores.”
Highlighting Supplier Circle of Excellence Award Winners
At celebrations held Tuesday night, UNFI recognized suppliers for the first time with its inaugural Circle of Excellence awards. These awards celebrate the suppliers’ 2023 achievements in innovation, marketing, and growth through partnership. Winners were grouped by merchandising category as well as years in business, reflecting the broad and diverse landscape of UNFI’s supplier partners.
15 suppliers won across nine merchandising categories, and the following three companies were recognized with UNFI’s highest Circle of Excellence award, Supplier of the Year:
- The Kraft Heinz Company – Established Supplier-of-the-Year
- Certified Piedmontese Beef – Emerging Supplier-of-the-Year
- Chomps – Diverse Supplier-of-the-Year
“Congratulations to all of our Supplier Circle of Excellence winners,” said Sandy Douglas, UNFI CEO. “We are grateful to partner with you in supporting our retail customers, and we look forward to continuing to be your go-to-market partner focused on helping to build brands and drive your growth.”
The next exclusive UNFI show will be the UNFI Winter & Holiday Show in Minneapolis, Minn., August 8-9. For information on UNFI Shows, customers or suppliers can visit https://www.unfishowcases.com or email events@unfi.com.
About UNFI
UNFI is North America’s premier grocery wholesaler delivering the widest variety of fresh, branded, and owned brand products to more than 30,000 locations throughout North America, including natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional supermarket chains, ecommerce providers, and food service customers. UNFI also provides a broad range of value-added services and segmented marketing expertise, including proprietary technology, data, market insights, and shelf management to help customers and suppliers build their businesses and brands. As the largest full-service grocery partner in North America, UNFI is committed to building a food system that is better for all and is uniquely positioned to deliver great food, more choices, and fresh thinking to customers. To learn more about how UNFI is Fueling the Future of Food, visit www.unfi.com.
