Some Whole Foods Locations Are Experiencing Empty Shelves After a Main Distributor Was Hacked

Key Points

• United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI), a major distributor for Whole Foods with over 11,000 suppliers and $31 billion in annual revenue, was hacked earlier this month and expects to restore systems by June 15.
• Several Whole Foods locations are facing empty shelves and out-of-stock notices, with customers sharing videos on TikTok and Reddit documenting the shortages.
• Store employees report bare freezers and bread hearths, noting the disruption has forced them to deep-clean empty coolers while customers grow increasingly upset.
• UNFI says it is working closely with customers, suppliers, and associates “to minimize disruption as much as possible” amid the ongoing supply issues.

Whole Foods shoppers are experiencing empty shelves after a major distributor for the grocer was hit with a cyberattack last week.

United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI), which works with more than 11,000 suppliers and has over 28,000 employees, said it was hacked earlier this month, and it expects its systems to be back online by June 15, per Bloomberg. The company reported $31 billion in annual revenues in August 2024.

Related: A Whole Foods Customer Told the Company's Founder: 'You're Just Not a Good CEO' — Here Was His Response

Meanwhile, the delay has led to barren shelves. Videos are starting to appear on TikTok, where viewers can see a notice posted on shelves (and on Reddit) that says the grocer is experiencing a "temporary out-of-stock issue."

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A Whole Foods employee in Arkansas told CNN their "frozen cooler is empty, our bread hearth is bare, and customers are increasingly upset." The anonymous employee added that the team is "deep-cleaning our freezers" now that they have the chance because the "normally overstocked freezers are now completely bare."

@onlyava_7 Whole Foods what's really good ? cuz why the shelves bare and damn near empty #wholefoodshaul #WhoelfoodsShopper #WhatsReallyGood #groceryshopwithme ♬ original sound - OnlyAva

@michaellefrier What is happening at Whole Foods …was it a fluke or is it starting? #fyp #foryoupage #fypシ゚viral ♬ original sound - Michaelle Frier

In a statement, UNFI said it is working closely with its customers, suppliers, and associates "to minimize disruption as much as possible."

Related: Whole Foods Was Accused of 'Shrinkflation' After Changing Its Berry Chantilly Cake Slices.