“We continue to see considerable growth” going forward because of the acquisition and continued consumer interest in natural and organic foods, UNFI chief financial officer Mark Shamber told The Providence Journal.

United Natural Foods distributes more than 65,000 products to more than 31,000 customers throughout the United States and Canada. Until now, its dry grocery, frozen foods, perishable foods, nutritional supplements and personal care items have been primarily “center-of-the-store” goods, Shamber said. However, acquiring Tony’s expands UNFI’s offerings, Shamber said, into “perimeter” foods -- cheese, specialty protein, deli, food service and bakery goods arranged on the outer edges of supermarkets.

“With consumers’ migration towards natural proteins and healthier eating, the Tony’s acquisition is very, very strategic for UNFI,” president and CEO Steven Spinner said in an investors’ conference call. “It’s just a tremendous strategic advantage for us to be able to have these product categories in a lot of terrific markets that have incredible demand for them.”