United Natural Foods Unveils Top Industry Trends to Help Retailers Plan for the Holiday and Winter Selling Season

Trends to watch include the rise of industry disruptors, health and wellness, and private label products

More than 30 suppliers were honored in second annual UNFI Circle of Excellence Awards

During its second Holiday and Winter Selling Show of 2025 in Uncasville, Conn., United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE: UNFI) (the “Company” or “UNFI”) brought together more than 3,900 attendees, connecting more than 1,400 retailers and over 750 suppliers. Exhibitors showcased thousands of unique products, spanning the natural, organic, fresh, specialty, and conventional grocery categories.

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UNFI hosted its Holiday and Winter Selling Show in Uncasville, Conn., bringing together 3,900 attendees and connecting over 1,400 retailers with 750 suppliers. UNFI experts shared the latest industry insights and highlighted emerging growth opportunities to help grocers stand out during the year’s biggest selling season.

Differentiation that Drives Results

During the show, UNFI experts shared the latest industry insights and emerging growth opportunities to help grocers stand out during the upcoming holiday and winter selling season. Top industry trends include*:

1. Promotions are on the rise – Promotional activity has ramped up with one-third of grocery volume focused on deals or value.
2. Private label is gaining popularity – Investment in private label continues with an expected 40% sales growth by 2030.
3. Disruptors are picking up speed – Challenger brands are gaining an edge, generating 27% growth in the food sector last year.
4. Health and wellness brands are booming – Fresh, high-protein and better-for-you options are outpacing the rest of the store.
5. Experiences are essential – Unique assortments and in-store experiences continue to drive traffic and volume for retailers of all sizes.

To help customers and suppliers capitalize on these trends, UNFI leaders also highlighted how their Professional Services offerings – including data platforms like Scan Advantage – can make it easier to use consumer insights and analytics for better assortment and promotional planning during high-volume seasons.

“UNFI Professional Services has been a game changer for us,” said Emily Brown, Store Manager, Catherine’s Market. “Scan Advantage gives us the insight we need to align our operations and product mix with seasonal trends and consumer preferences. It helps us stay ahead of what they’re looking for, whether it’s national brands or ideas we can translate into our house-made bakery and deli offerings.”

Honoring Outstanding Suppliers

At the Holiday and Winter Selling Show, UNFI honored 31 supplier brand partners across 15 unique categories in its second annual Supplier Circle of Excellence Awards. The awards recognize suppliers for excellence in brand performance, category leadership, product innovation, and more.

“This year’s Supplier Circle of Excellence Award winners represent the best of our industry, and we’re proud to recognize their meaningful contributions,” said Sandy Douglas, UNFI CEO. “Their leadership, creativity, and commitment to excellence in an increasingly competitive market is defining the future of the consumer-packaged goods and grocery retail industries.”

UNFI recognized the following three companies with the highest Circle of Excellence award, Supplier of the Year:

• Impact Supplier of the Year – Chobani
• Broad Market Supplier of the Year – Loisa
• Supplier of the Year – The Hershey Company

“At Chobani, our commitment to our people and our communities runs deep—we live it every day by working with local partners to end hunger,” said Marcin Moscicki, Vice President of Sales at Chobani. “Our partnership with UNFI has helped us extend that impact even further, bringing nutritious food to more communities and making a meaningful difference where it’s needed most.”

To see the full list of UNFI’s 2025 Supplier Circle of Excellence Award winners, visit the UNFI Newsroom.

Sources*:

1. Power of Produce, 2025 NielsenIQ Discover
2. Morgan Stanley “Private Label Tipping Point”
3. J.P. Morgan “U.S. Food Producers”
4. NielsenIQ Better for You
5. SBI Team Analysis and Opinion

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 delivering value for its stakeholders, visit www.unfi.com.

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