UNFI’s story parallels the story of the natural and organic products industry in the United States. It begins back in the 1970’s when consumer interest in natural foods began to blossom. Across the US, small, regional distributors sprang up to meet the needs of this growing market. These pioneers operated on vision, entrepreneurial spirit and a shoestring budget.
Over the years, these small distributors grew into larger distributors. Business expanded as the demand for natural and organic products increased. In 1996, in order to better serve the growing market, two regional distributors combined forces to form United Natural Foods, Inc. Mountain People's Warehouse, based in Northern California, and Cornucopia Natural Foods, based in New England, were the first two members of the UNFI family.
In the following years, other regional distributors joined the UNFI family. These included Stow Mills, Albert's Organics, Blooming Prairie, Northeast Cooperatives, Select Nutrition, Roots ‘N Fruits, Millbrook Distribution Services and others. These companies each brought to UNFI a long history of experience and dedication to the natural products industry.
Mountain People's Warehouse, founded in 1976 began by selling only organic produce. Mountain People's Warehouse (MPW) soon expanded its product line to include perishables, bulk and groceries and rapidly grew to become the largest full line natural foods distributor in the Western United States. MPW is famous for it's humorous slogan: "To Boldly Go Where No Distributor Has Gone Before".
Blooming Prairie was founded in 1974 in Iowa City, Iowa by a small group of retailers and buying clubs. Blooming Prairie began with three part-time workers and a network of volunteers who sought to bring natural and organic foods to an area with no other access at the time. Like other warehouses in the UNFI family, the early years were based on vision, entrepreneurial spirit, and a shoestring budget. At first, orders were coordinated by a collective of volunteers and phoned in to another natural products distributor, People's Warehouse, in Minneapolis. When the order was ready, a volunteer would hitchhike north to Minneapolis, rent a truck, pick up the order and deliver the goods to the stores and the warehouse in Iowa City. By 2002, when joining the UNFI family, Blooming Prairie was known as the leading Midwest distributor of organic and natural products, with over 2400 retail stores and buying clubs as members and customers.
One of the greatest advantages of the UNFI family is that it brings together dedicated and talented associates with deep experience in the organic, natural and specialty products industry. Many UNFI associates have 20 or more years of experience in the industry.
Today, UNFI remains focused on the original founding principles: promotion and distribution of high quality natural, organic and specialty products; providing customers with the best possible service and information; support of organic and sustainable agriculture; and protection of the environment.