United Natural Foods hit by major cyberattack, disrupting grocery supply
▼ Summary
– United Natural Foods (UNFI) experienced a cyberattack, forcing it to shut down some systems and temporarily disrupt order fulfillment and distribution.
– The company, with $31 billion in annual revenue, supplies over 30,000 locations, including Whole Foods, and employs 28,000 people.
– UNFI activated its incident response plan, notified law enforcement, and hired cybersecurity experts to investigate and restore systems.
– The attack’s nature and potential data theft remain undisclosed, with no ransomware group claiming responsibility yet.
– This incident follows other recent cyberattacks in the food industry, including breaches at Sam’s Club and JBS Foods.
United Natural Foods (UNFI), a leading wholesale grocery distributor, has suffered a significant cyberattack that disrupted operations across its vast supply chain network. The incident forced the company to take critical systems offline, creating temporary challenges in fulfilling customer orders and maintaining normal business functions.
Headquartered in Rhode Island, UNFI serves as a major supplier for grocery chains, independent retailers, and e-commerce platforms, including Amazon’s Whole Foods. With 53 distribution centers and over 30,000 retail locations relying on its services, the breach has raised concerns about broader supply chain vulnerabilities. The company reported $31 billion in annual revenue last year, highlighting its pivotal role in North America’s food distribution sector.
Upon detecting the cyberattack on June 5th, UNFI immediately activated its incident response protocols, isolating affected systems to prevent further damage. While the exact nature of the breach remains undisclosed, the company confirmed that law enforcement and cybersecurity experts are investigating. Temporary workarounds have been implemented to minimize disruptions, but full system restoration is still underway.
Social media reports surfaced shortly after the attack, with employees mentioning canceled shifts and operational delays. Despite the challenges, UNFI emphasized that customer service remains a top priority, though some order fulfillment issues persist. The company has not yet confirmed whether data was stolen or if ransomware was involved.
This incident adds to a growing list of cyberattacks targeting the food industry. Earlier this year, Sam’s Club investigated a potential ransomware breach, while JBS Foods paid an $11 million ransom in 2021 after a crippling attack. Recent months have also seen Scattered Spider and DragonForce ransomware groups shift focus toward U.S. retailers, following high-profile breaches in the U.K.
As UNFI works to restore operations, industry experts warn that food distributors remain prime targets for cybercriminals due to their critical infrastructure and widespread dependencies. The company is expected to provide further updates alongside its upcoming quarterly earnings report.
(Source: Bleeping Computer)
