Wondering Why Some Shelves Were Empty? How Your Co-op Navigated the UNFI Outage
You may have noticed some unusually bare shelves in early June. That’s because our primary distributor, UNFI, experienced a nationwide communications outage that disrupted deliveries to hundreds of stores across the country.
At the Co-op, we moved quickly—sourcing from alternate vendors, coordinating with the National Co+op Grocers (NCG) network, and leaning into our strong relationships with local distributors. Thanks to these efforts, and the unwavering support of our staff and community, we were able to keep things running, even as stores across the country faced widespread shortages.
We also want you to know: we did not raise prices on any products during this time, even when our own costs increased due to emergency sourcing. That’s part of our commitment to transparency, fairness, and putting people before profit.
Our Staff Made It Happen
While systems were down and deliveries were delayed, our staff showed up in every way that mattered. They took this crisis in stride, got creative about keeping shelves stocked, sourced alternative products on short notice, and kept things moving with a remarkable sense of calm and good humor.
Their flexibility, upbeat attitudes, and problem-solving under pressure were truly inspiring—and a reminder of just how much heart powers this place every day. We’re deeply grateful for their hard work.
Distributors Who Stepped Up
We couldn’t have done it alone. These partners played a vital role in helping us keep shelves stocked during the outage:
- Equal Exchange – While we typically purchase through UNFI, we were able to work directly with Equal Exchange to keep our bulk and produce sections supplied.
- Rainforest Distribution – This NYC-based distributor supported us across multiple departments, reliably fulfilling full orders at a time when many others were struggling.
- Four Seasons Produce – A key partner in keeping our produce section looking strong. They even added an extra delivery on a non-standard day to help us out.
- Black River Produce – Provided critical support in keeping our dairy, deli, and cheese cases stocked.
- Chex Finer Foods – Helped us meet general grocery needs during the disruption, stepping in with consistency and flexibility.
- Farrell Distributing – Ensured we had a reliable supply of beverages and bottled water.
- Baker Distributing – Came through with much-needed water products, especially seltzer and gallon jugs, which were hard to source elsewhere.
- KeHE – Added extra trucks to accommodate larger order sizes and helped fill critical gaps.
Thank You
To our customers: thank you for your patience, kindness, and support while we navigated this disruption. From understanding questions to words of encouragement at the registers, your trust in us meant the world.
While global supply chains shape much of the modern food system, this experience reminded us that local relationships are at the heart of our resilience. Because of our staff, our vendors, and you, we were able to weather this storm better than many other stores around the country.
Thank you for being part of this community—and for supporting your Co-op.
