A major cyberattack has disrupted one of the most critical links in the American grocery supply chain, raising fresh concerns about the vulnerability of essential services in the digital age. United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI), the primary distributor for Whole Foods and a leading supplier to over 30,000 grocery stores across the U.S., confirmed on Monday, June 9, that it had been forced to shut down several systems following a breach involving unauthorized activity.

The incident, which was first detected on Thursday, June 5, is now under investigation by forensic experts and law enforcement. UNFI disclosed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that the attack has “temporarily impacted the company’s ability to fulfill and distribute customer orders,” setting off ripple effects across the retail sector.

Whole Foods, owned by Amazon, is among the hardest hit. In-store signs and viral social media posts show empty refrigeration shelves and product out-of-stock notices. One Reddit user likened the scene to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, sharing an image of a barren display with a printed apology from store staff: “We apologize for the inconvenience and should have your favorite products back in stock soon.”

The implications go far beyond a temporary inconvenience. As Keith Wojcieszek, global head of threat intelligence at risk firm Kroll, warned, ransomware attacks on the retail sector are rising sharply. “Hackers are no longer operating in hierarchical groups,” he explained. “They are decentralized and often act interchangeably, making them harder to trace. This puts high-volume sectors like retail and grocery in a dangerously exposed position.”

The timing couldn’t be worse. Just last year, UNFI signed a long-term distribution agreement with Whole Foods, extending their partnership through 2032. With UNFI also manufacturing private label and fresh goods, the operational disruption may affect not only deliveries but also production pipelines.

Shares of UNFI fell over 9% in early trading following the news, indicating investor concerns over both the financial and reputational toll of the attack. Meanwhile, customers are left wondering whether grocery stores will be able to restock shelves quickly, especially for fresh and specialty items that UNFI is known for.

This incident follows a disturbing trend: Victoria’s Secret recently shut down its website over a cybersecurity threat, and Adidas suffered a data breach through a third-party provider. As retail becomes increasingly dependent on digital infrastructure, experts say businesses must double down on cybersecurity or risk similar operational meltdowns.

With supply chain resilience under scrutiny once again, shoppers are being advised to plan ahead and expect limited availability of select grocery items—at least until UNFI can bring its systems fully back online.