U.S. Food Waste Pact Welcomes United Natural Foods, Inc. As Newest Signatory

Food Industry Collaboration Expands as UNFI Joins Cross-Sector Effort to Reduce Food Waste Across the Supply Chain

[CHICAGO, IL, August 5, 2026] – Today, the U.S. Food Waste Pact announced that United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) has joined the national voluntary agreement focused on reducing food waste across the supply chain. Led by nonprofits ReFED and World Wildlife Fund, the Pact brings together producers, manufacturers, distributors, foodservice operators, and retailers to collaborate on practical, data-driven solutions that help reduce food waste, strengthen operational effectiveness, and deliver environmental benefits. UNFI joins three other distribution signatories and a growing network of organizations committed to accelerating progress towards a more resilient food system.

“Joining the U.S. Food Waste Pact builds on our ongoing work to advance our commitment to achieving zero waste to landfill by 2030. We look forward to learning from fellow signatories and contributing our experience as we work together to identify practical solutions that can help reduce waste, improve resource efficiency, and strengthen food recovery efforts,” said Alisha Real, VP, Sustainability and Impact at UNFI.

The Scale of Waste

According to the latest estimate from ReFED, approximately 29% of all food in the U.S. (70 million tons) goes unsold or uneaten each year. Food waste accounts for 114 billion lost meals annually, and it represents $380 billion in total value—equivalent to 1.3% of U.S. GDP. More than 3% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions are generated from food waste, and more than 15% of the country’s freshwater supply is used to cultivate food that ultimately goes to waste.

Making Sustainability Matter

UNFI has established a goal of achieving zero waste to landfills by 2030. In 2025, UNFI diverted 85% of its food waste away from landfill through robust prevention, salvage food donations, food recycling, and other diversion programs. By joining the Pact, UNFI will collaborate with peers across the food industry to share best practices, explore new solutions, and accelerate progress towards reducing food waste.

“We look forward to having UNFI join us at the table,” said Sara Burnett, Executive Director at ReFED. “They bring significant scale and decades of experience in the distribution sector, and we’re excited to see how their participation accelerates our shared goal of reducing food waste.”

To learn more about the U.S. Food Waste Pact, visit usfoodwastepact.org. To learn more about other Pact signatories, visit here. For more information on UNFI’s sustainability goals, visit https://www.unfi.com/impact.html.

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About the U.S. Food Waste Pact

The U.S. Food Waste Pact is a national voluntary agreement that uses the “Target, Measure, Act” framework to reduce food waste across the supply chain. The Pact works with waste- generating food businesses and organizations to collect and analyze data about food waste in their operations, share best practices through multi-stakeholder collaborative convenings, and test and scale solutions through intervention projects. The Pact is an initiative led by nonprofits ReFED and the World Wildlife Fund. For more information about the U.S. Food Waste Pact, visit http://usfoodwastepact.org/.

About UNFI

United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) is a leading North American grocery wholesaler, providing a broad assortment of natural, organic, specialty, fresh, conventional, and private label products to approximately 30,000 retail locations. The company supports independent, regional, and national grocers with access to a wide assortment of products from thousands of established and emerging suppliers, delivered through a scaled, technology-enabled distribution network.

UNFI provides a broad range of value-added data, insights, programs, and services to help retailers differentiate their stores and grow profitably, while connecting suppliers to a diverse and dynamic retail ecosystem. With a strategic focus on adding value and improving effectiveness and efficiency, UNFI is committed to creating long-term, shared value for all its stakeholders. To learn more, visit www.unfi.com.