Industry Trends Retailers Can Use to Differentiate This Holiday and Winter Selling Season

June  24, 2026          3 minute read

For grocery retailers, the winter and holiday selling season is one of the most important moments of the year to inspire shoppers and support growth. Customers are hosting gatherings, shopping for gifts, planning special meals, and looking for small indulgences. These seasonal moments create opportunities for retailers to connect the right products with the right occasions across the store.    

At UNFI’s 2026 Holiday and Winter Selling Show at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, experts shared industry trends to help retailers differentiate as they prepare for the holiday season. 

Private Brands are Reshaping Holiday Entertaining 

Private label has evolved beyond a budget-friendly alternative. While value remains important, shoppers are increasingly choosing private brands for products that feel distinct, high quality, and accessible.  

Premium-feeling charcuterie pairings, crackers, antipasti, nuts, and sauces can help shoppers create a more elevated holiday spread without breaking the bank. Limited time offerings like Essential Everyday Dark Chocolate Peppermint Dark Bites offer seasonal flavor and giftable appeal to holiday entertaining.  

Private label can also play a role in everyday holiday moments, from make-ahead breakfasts for overnight guests to convenient snacks for busy winter weekends. Essential Everyday high-protein, frozen breakfast sandwiches support convenient, quality solutions for holiday mornings and weekend brunches. 

Fresh Is a Source of Culinary Inspiration 

Fresh departments are a powerful source of inspiration as shoppers look for products that balance flavor, health, convenience, and quality. This is especially relevant during the holiday and winter season, when shoppers are looking for ingredients that help them create memorable meals and gatherings.  

Seasonal and specialty produce, such as citrus, red kiwis, broccolini, cherimoya and dragon fruit, add color, texture and discovery to holiday meals.  These items continue to resonate with younger shoppers, who are turning to the produce department for wellness, recipe ideas, and unique ingredients that add something different to seasonal occasions.  

Fresh is also attracting new shoppers driven by interest in natural sources of nutrition or attributes. Grass-fed beef options from brands such as Thousand Hills and Niman Ranch can support premium meal occasions and help meet this growing interest. While pork and poultry offer flexibility and value-conscious holiday meals.  

Functional Wellness Finds New Occasions 

Shoppers continue to pay close attention to ingredients, functional benefits, and trusted certifications when choosing natural and organic products. During the holidays, that focus creates additional opportunities for products that help shoppers balance celebration with everyday wellness. 

Products like Recess, a nonalcoholic beverage, can be featured in festive gatherings and mocktail moments and Fond, a regenerative bone broth can be positioned as a sipping option or base for soups during colder months. 

These approaches make functional wellness feel less like a standalone health trend and more like a practical solution for the season. 

For retailers, the opportunity is not only identifying what shoppers are looking for, but translating those seasonal needs into clear, easy-to-find solutions. By using private brands to support entertainment, fresh departments to inspire meal planning, and functional wellness products to meet everyday routines, retailers can differentiate themselves throughout the holiday and winter selling season.