Every new UNFI supplier starts in one place: the New Supplier Inquiry form on unfi.com. UNFI's FAQ says so in one line ("To become a supplier or vendor for UNFI, please fill out our New Supplier Inquiry form"), and its team reviews submissions and reaches out to the brands it wants to pursue.
Before you spend an afternoon on it, check two things. The form stops any brand that does not have both a U.S.-based warehouse and a U.S. bank account. UNFI says those are its minimum requirements to enter the supplier review process at all.
Two ways to sell through UNFI
The first question on the form is how you want to be fulfilled, and the answer changes which application you complete.
| Route | How product moves | What to choose |
|---|---|---|
| Warehouse distribution | You deliver to UNFI distribution centers, and UNFI delivers to retailers | The main New Supplier Inquiry |
| UNFI Endless Aisle | You ship directly to retailers, without first delivering to a UNFI warehouse | The separate Endless Aisle supplier application, reached from the same form |
If your product can ship by parcel, the form asks about dropship, and UNFI invites dropship-capable brands to apply to Endless Aisle as well.
What the inquiry asks, so you can prepare
The questionnaire reads like a buyer's first meeting. Have answers ready for:
- whether your barcodes are GS1-128 or ITF-14;
- whether you have your own manufacturing facility or use a co-packer;
- for consumables, whether you hold a certified food safety audit;
- whether you already work with other distributors, and whether you would accept an exclusive agreement with UNFI;
- your distribution target, regions, department, category and the number of SKUs you want in distribution;
- what makes the product "unique, innovative, or relevant to emerging consumer trends";
- whether you use a broker or have an internal sales team;
- certifications such as Organic, Kosher, Non-GMO and Gluten Free;
- your target retailer and consumer, and your top three retailers, including whether each would move to UNFI.
That last question is the one to think hardest about. Retailers you already sell to direct, and who would switch to buying you through UNFI, are the clearest evidence a distributor can get that your product will move.
Then email your price lists and sell sheets to NewSupplierInquiry@unfi.com, with your company's legal name in the subject line.
If UNFI selects you: the onboarding file
UNFI's FAQ lists the key documents it asks for during onboarding, depending on product type and the distribution centers you deliver to:
- a certificate of insurance for the amounts UNFI sets out in Section 13 (Insurances);
- a completed New Supplier New Item Form;
- a New Store Opening and Reset Program Form, which needs a physical signature;
- a signed, recent W-9 (or W-8 for international suppliers);
- every certificate that applies (Kosher, Non-GMO, Organic, Fair Trade);
- your distributor price list and specification sheet;
- your latest third-party food safety audit certificate; UNFI says all suppliers must operate under Good Manufacturing Practices;
- digital label files showing front, back, UPC and, where they apply, recycling redemption states and values.
You also acknowledge UNFI's Supplier and Vendor Code of Conduct, and give your UNFI Supplier Manager a current recall contact (UNFI's national recall team is at recalls@unfi.com).
Once you are set up, the UNFI Supplier Portal at myunfi.com is where you manage contact and warehouse details, appoint a broker to use the portal for you, and submit and track new items.
UpNext, for emerging and diverse brands
UNFI calls UpNext its program for "innovative, emerging and diverse brands." UNFI reviews applicants and selects participants; each is paired with a Supplier Development Manager who builds a plan with the brand. UNFI lists what it expects in return:
- marketing participation, including regular off-invoice promotions;
- a willingness to learn UNFI through your Supplier Development Manager;
- timebound goals that both sides agree on;
- alignment with UNFI's Supplier Policies.
Budget for the promotions before you apply. Off-invoice deals come out of your margin, on top of distributor pricing, so a brand that is already thin on cash should map the cost first. Our working capital guide covers how small food brands finance that gap.
What UNFI says about diverse suppliers
UNFI's FAQ says it is committed to "developing, fostering, and retaining relationships with small businesses owned by disabled individuals, minorities, women, veterans (and service-disabled veterans), and members of the LGBTQ+ community," and that it helps its retail customers meet their own supplier diversity goals.
One thing to know: the FAQ's link to UNFI's "Inclusive Procurement" registration page now redirects to the general suppliers page, so there is no separate diverse-supplier registration to find. Use the New Supplier Inquiry, and list your certification in it. UNFI does not publish which certifying bodies it recognizes or a spend figure; if you are not yet certified, our MBE certification guide covers the most common route.
Distribution through UNFI is often how a brand reaches natural and independent grocers it could not serve alone. If you are also pitching retailers directly, see our guides to Whole Foods and Kroger, and the food and beverage supplier guide.
Your next step: confirm you have a U.S. warehouse and U.S. bank account, gather your barcode, food safety audit and top-three-retailer answers, then complete the New Supplier Inquiry and email your sell sheet the same day.
Sources
Checked November 6, 2026, on unfi.com: New Supplier Inquiry; Frequently Asked Questions; Suppliers; UpNext.
