Wellness on the Rise: How Retailers, Suppliers, and UNFI Meet Consumer Demand
August 19, 2025 5 minute read
This National Wellness Month, we’re spotlighting how UNFI partners are responding to growing consumer interest in health and wellness. As one of the top wellness distributors in the U.S., UNFI offers more than 20,000 unique products — one-third of which are exclusive to our network, empowering retailers to meet evolving shopper expectations and helping innovative suppliers reach new shoppers.
Retail Success Story: Heinen’s Growth in Wellness
With wellness becoming a lifestyle priority for millions of shoppers, grocery retailers are leaning in to meet the moment — and the results speak for themselves. At this year’s Holiday & Winter Selling Show at Mohegan Sun, UNFI caught up with longtime partner Heinen’s Grocery Store, a retailer that has built a reputation as a wellness pioneer.
Over the past two years, Heinen’s has added 146 UNFI wellness brands and 382 unique products — a major expansion that’s driving results. The chain has seen double-digit year-over-year growth in both sales dollars and unit volume across wellness and natural health.
The key? Strategic product curation paired with operational support. Through UNFI’s wellness program, Heinen’s has strengthened in-store assortment, streamlined the ordering process, onboarded emerging brands more efficiently, and freed up store teams to focus on educating shoppers and building loyalty.
“We believe in food as medicine, and that shows up in every part of our wellness strategy,” said Kim Heinen, Heinen’s Director of Packaged Goods. “With support from the UNFI wellness team, we’ve been able to grow more quickly, stay aligned with emerging trends, and deepen our engagement with customers, including more than 100,000 members enrolled in our in-store wellness education program, Club Fx.”
Supplier Spotlight: Waterboy Taps into Category Momentum
Emerging brands like Waterboy are also helping redefine wellness through functional benefits, fresh formats, and smart distribution strategies. A fast-growing player in the hydration category, Waterboy is gaining traction through strong retailer partnerships and a differentiated product line free from sugar and sugar alcohols.
“UNFI has helped us reach key retailers, and that kind of exposure is critical in a competitive space like hydration,” said Christine Baxter, Waterboy Chief Strategy Officer. “What’s exciting is that 71% of people buying Waterboy at retail are actually new to the category, so we’re not just growing share, we’re expanding the market.”
With formulas designed for daily wellness and muscle recovery, Waterboy is one of several fast-moving brands using UNFI’s network to reach both national chains and smaller independents looking to diversify their assortments.
Translating Wellness Trends into Retail Wins
As shoppers grow more wellness-savvy, the category continues to expand beyond its traditional center-store roots. Retailers are responding with carefully curated assortments that reflect emerging trends and evolving consumer values.
“Wellness continues to be a high-growth category for retailers, and we’re seeing increased interest in supplements, clean-label products, and functional formats,” said Christine Alexandre-Zeoli, UNFI Account Manager. “Our role at UNFI is to help retailers translate those trends into meaningful in-store experiences — spotting what’s resonating, streamlining access to those products, and ultimately helping stores deliver more of what shoppers are looking for.”
As wellness continues to reshape the retail landscape, UNFI is committed to helping retailers and suppliers deliver meaningful, trend-forward experiences that meet shoppers where they are. Learn more at UNFI’s Wellness offerings: UNFI Wellness.