AccelFoods, UNFI Strengthen Ties

AccelFoods, the early-stage investment platform that identifies and partners with innovative food and beverage companies coming to market, has expanded its relationship with the multi-billion dollar natural, organic, and specialty food distributor, United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI).

This relationship provides AccelFoods and its portfolio companies a number of opportunities to be the first brands involved in several new UNFI initiatives, including the launch of a UNFI Regional Supplier Relationship Manager (RSRM) program and a New York-based Specialty Gourmet & Ethnic sales team, as well as increased support from a dedicated senior supplier relationship manager for AccelFoods’ portfolio companies. 

UNFI has also agreed to co-host AccelFoods’ Class III Demo Day on Oct. 27, with Steven Spinner, UNFI president and chief executive officer, serving as the keynote speaker.

Through its regional supplier relationship manager program, UNFI will now offer a hands-on partnership to a select portfolio of earlier stage companies, facilitating their growth within the UNFI system. The first RSRM will be based at UNFI’s Racine, Wis., distribution center and will launch with Fresh Bar, a Minneapolis-based AccelFoods portfolio company. UNFI has plans to quickly expand the program to other distribution centers, including Gilroy, Calif.; Denver; and Hudson Valley, N.Y.

In addition, AccelFoods portfolio company Bandar Foods will be one of a select group of companies participating in the launch of UNFI’s Gourmet & Ethnic sales team, a dedicated group focused on non-traditional retail channels in New York City.

“UNFI is committed to partnering with new businesses from the earliest point of inception and helping them grow big. UNFI’s relationship with AccelFoods provides us with the opportunity to work in unique ways with some of the highest growth, early stage companies in the market,” said Don McIntyre, UNFI senior vice president, national supply chain and strategy and president, West region. 

McIntyre added: “While the specifics will vary depending on the needs of each AccelFoods portfolio company, we are excited about the growing relationship between UNFI and AccelFoods.”

Of their growing relationship with UNFI, AccelFoods’ co-founder and co-managing partner, Jordan Gaspar, said, “UNFI’s unique approach to selecting, distributing and merchandising products makes it an ideal partner to the growing AccelFoods portfolio.”

UNFI carries and distributes more than 80,000 products to more than 40,000 customer locations throughout the United States and Canada. The company serves a wide variety of retail formats including conventional supermarket chains, natural product superstores, independent retail operators and the foodservice channel.