Selders said the fresh function continues to gain in significance among consumers and at UNFI. “Large-scale changes to shopping and eating behaviors, especially as more meals are consumed in the home, have put a stronger focus on the perimeter of the grocery store and its offerings. These changes represent a tremendous opportunity for retailers, and I look forward to working with our fresh teams to deliver wide-ranging and innovative products to help our customers grow and thrive,” he remarked.
UNFI also shared that Jody Barrick will take on Selders’ former tasks as the new SVP of bakery and deli. Barrick, a 30-year sales and marketing industry expert, came to UNFI through the acquisition of SuperValu. These are the latest in a series of leadership changes over the past year at the organization.
Providence, R.I.-based UNFI delivers a wide variety of products to customer locations throughout North America, including natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional supermarket chains, e-commerce retailers and foodservice customers. The largest publicly traded grocery distributor in America, the company is No. 49 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.