United Natural Foods Announces its First Circle of Excellence Award Winners

February 21, 2024           5 minute read

Winners span size and diversity of categories; represent retailers from across the U.S.

UNFI is pleased to recognize the customer winners of its inaugural Circle of Excellence awards. The company announced these recipients during its 2024 San Diego and Orlando selling shows.

This is the first time UNFI is recognizing customers with the Circle of Excellence awards. These awards celebrate exceptional achievements in business performance, community impact, and strong partnership with UNFI. The Company presented awards across multiple categories, customer size, and regions to ensure all customers could compete and win.

At celebrations held in San Diego on February 7 and in Orlando on Tuesday night, UNFI recognized the following winners for Performance, Impact, and Customer of the Year across all three UNFI regions (East, Central and West) and in the three following categories: Local Independents, Regional Chains, and National Accounts. 

Circle of Excellence Winners in the Performance Category

• Grove City County Market, in Grove City, PA – East Region Local Independent Winner

• Mackenthun's Fine Foods, in Waconia, MN – Central Region Local Independent Performance Winner

• Orcas Island Market, in Eastsound, WA – West Region Local Independent Performance Winner 

• Food Depot, in Morrow, GA – East Regional Chain Performance Winner  

• Skogen’s Festival Foods, in Onalaska, WI – Central Regional Chain Performance Winner 

• New Seasons Market, in Portland, OR – West Regional Chain Performance Winner

• PCC Community Markets, in Seattle, WA – National Account Performance Winner

Circle of Excellence Winners in the Impact Category 

• Jim’s Super Valu, in Park River, ND – Local Independent Impact Winner 

• Big Y, in Springfield, MA – Regional Chain Impact Winner

• Thrive Market, in Los Angeles, CA – National Impact Winner

 Customer-of-the-Year Winners 

• Jim’s SuperValu, in Park River, ND – Local Independent Customer-of-the-Year

• New Seasons Market, in Portland, OR – Regional Chain Customer-of-the-Year

• Nugget Markets, in Davis, CA – Regional Chain Customer-of-the-Year

• Natural Grocers, in Lakewood, CO – National Account Customer-of-the-Year

The most prestigious award in the Circle of Excellence is UNFI’s Overall Customer of the Year. The customer who receives this award typically is a winner across multiple categories. UNFI’s 2023 winner is New Seasons Market, a 20-store community-focused grocery chain, founded in 1999, that serves the greater Portland, OR market. It is a certified B Corporation and uses the power of its business to solve local social and economic problems. 

"Congratulations to New Seasons Market on this well-deserved recognition,” said Sandy Douglas, CEO and President of UNFI. “And congratulations to all our Circle of Excellence winners. We are grateful to be a part of your support teams, and we look forward to continuing to help drive your growth and success through a broader product assortment, quality, reliable execution, and increased efficiency every day.” Douglas continued, “Our team’s goal is to put every UNFI customer in a position to win a Circle of Excellence award and win in the marketplace."

"We feel deeply privileged and humbled. These awards reflect the passion and dedication of our staff and our concerted efforts to create memorable shopping experiences, uphold our commitment to sustainability and nurture community connection,” said New Seasons Market CEO Nancy Lebold. 

The Company looks forward to announcing its Circle of Excellence supplier winners later this year at its Holiday and Winter show in Uncasville, CT on June 5-6.  

For more information on UNFI Shows, customers or suppliers can visit: Events or email events@unfi.com.