Supplier Spotlight: Rif Care is Redefining Organic Feminine Care

November 4, 2025           4 minute read

At UNFI, we partner with emerging and innovative brands who are bringing new ideas into the marketplace that help retailers differentiate, meet evolving shopper expectations, and drive growth. One of those brands is Rif Care, a UNFI UpNext participant who’s proving that feminine care can be both sustainable and empowering.

A Different Kind of Organic

Founded by childhood friends turned changemakers, Rif Care introduced the first hemp-based feminine care products to the market. Their commitment to comfort, transparency, and sustainability is reshaping a category that has historically seen little change. According to the brand, their pads and tampons biodegrade in about six months, compared to legacy brands that may take 500 to 800 years.  By using regenerative materials, the brand is creating products with a softer environmental footprint and a stronger focus on women’s health. In just two years, Rif Care has expanded its original line of pads and tampons to include organic underwear, with liners and maternity items on the way – demonstrating how organic innovation extends well beyond the food aisle.

Powered by Partnership

Rif Care’s growth has accelerated through its partnership with UNFI. Participation in the UpNext program ensured every step in the process was guided by expert support – from distribution to packaging to marketing – resulting in the brand’s expansion into more than 300 retailers. With tools like UNFI Insights, Rif Care also has access to custom dashboards that help identify growth opportunities, target the right customers, and support smarter business decisions.

“UNFI is truly a catalyst that makes a brand grow,” said Val Emanuel, co-founder of Rif Care. “As a small business, having a Supplier Relationship Manager who walks you through everything and answers questions along the way has made all the difference.”

“Working with Val and Rebecca at RIF Care has been inspiring,” said Grace Lachona, Supplier Relationship Manager at UNFI. “Their commitment to positively disrupting the category through sustainability, organic materials, and a strong focus on women’s health is exactly what we look for in an UpNext brand. It’s been exciting to watch their growth and see how they’re reshaping the space through thoughtful product development and consumer education.”

Innovation for Retailers

For UNFI’s retail partners, suppliers like Rif Care bring newness and differentiation to shelves, challenging conventions and expanding what shoppers expect from organic. Feminine hygiene is a category that matters deeply to consumers but has been slow to evolve, and Rif Care is meeting that need with thoughtful, sustainable solutions.

In addition to joining UNFI’s Holiday & Winter Selling Show in Las Vegas, Rif Care has also embraced opportunities to connect with retailers through UNFI Spark events, which are smaller regional selling shows that give suppliers the chance to activate products with a more targeted set of buyers. 

“There is nothing like an order-writing show,” said Val. “Spark was our very first one, and it was so fun because we were able to meet retailers face-to-face, including smaller operators with just one or two stores, and those conversations led directly to new opportunities.”

By serving as a connector between innovative suppliers and retailers, UNFI helps bring new ideas to market and deliver growth for our partners. It is one more way we live our purpose: Better Food. Better Future.

Read about other challenger brands creating buzz at Spark events here.