8-K

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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


        Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): October 9, 2006


                           UNITED NATURAL FOODS, INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)


                  Delaware                  000-21531            05-0376157
        (State or Other Jurisdiction       (Commission         (IRS Employer
             of Incorporation)            File Number)      Identification No.)

                                  260 Lake Road
                               Dayville, CT 06241
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                                 (860) 779-2800
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

                                 Not Applicable
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

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Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

|_|   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
      CFR 230.425)

|_|   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
      240.14a-12)

|_|   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
      Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

|_|   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
      Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))



Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors;
Appointment of Principal Officers.

(c) On October 9, 2006, United Natural Foods, Inc. (the "Company") announced the
promotion of Mark E. Shamber to the position of Vice President, Chief Financial
Officer and Treasurer from Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and
Corporate Controller. Mr. Shamber, age 37, had served as the Company's Acting
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer since January 2006.

      Mr. Shamber has served as Vice President of the Company since August 2005,
as the Company's Chief Accounting Officer since January 2006 and as the
Company's Corporate Controller since June 2003. From February 1995 until June
2003, prior to joining the Company, he worked for the international accounting
firm of Ernst & Young LLP within the assurance and advisory business systems
practice, serving in various positions of increasing responsibility up to and
including senior manager. Prior to that, Mr. Shamber worked within the finance
department at Reebok International Ltd. He is a member of the AICPA and MSCPA
and holds a CPA license from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Mr. Shamber
graduated from Bentley College in Waltham, Massachusetts with a BS in
Accountancy.

      The Company presently does not intend to enter into a formal employment
agreement with Mr. Shamber.

      A copy of the press release announcing Mr. Shamber's promotion and the
promotion of Lisa N'Chonon to the position of Corporate Controller of the
Company is filed as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

      (a)   Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired: Not Applicable

      (b)   Pro Forma Financial Information: Not Applicable

      (c)   Exhibits.

            Exhibit No.      Description
            -----------      -----------

                 99.1         Press Release, dated October 9, 2006: United
                              Natural Foods, Inc. Appoints Mark E. Shamber as
                              Chief Financial Officer.


                                   SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                        UNITED NATURAL FOODS, INC.


                                        By: /s/ Mark E. Shamber
                                            ------------------------------
                                            Mark E. Shamber
                                            Vice President and Chief Financial
                                            Officer

                                        Date: October 10, 2006

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1


                   [LETTERHEAD OF UNITED NATURAL FOODS, INC.]


                       UNITED NATURAL FOODS, INC. APPOINTS
                   MARK E. SHAMBER AS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

                    Lisa N'Chonon Named Corporate Controller

Dayville, Connecticut - October 9, 2006 - United Natural Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:
UNFI) today announced the promotion of Mark E. Shamber to the position of Vice
President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer from Vice President, Chief
Accounting Officer and Corporate Controller. Mr. Shamber, age 37, has served as
the Company's Acting Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer since January 2006.
The Company also announced that Lisa N'Chonon, CPA, who has served as Assistant
Corporate Controller since April 2004, has been promoted to Corporate
Controller.

Michael Funk, United Natural Foods' President and Chief Executive Officer,
commented, "Mark has been a dedicated and valuable member of the United Natural
Foods team since 2003 and has seamlessly handled the responsibilities as Acting
Chief Financial Officer since the beginning of 2006. He has been a key
contributor to United Natural Foods' success and we are confident in his ability
to assume this position."

Mr. Funk added, "We look to grow and promote our people from within our
organization and are pleased to announce the promotion of Lisa N'Chonon to
Corporate Controller. Lisa's promotion is a well-deserved acknowledgment of her
skills and numerous contributions to our accounting and finance operations."

Mark Shamber has served as Vice President since August 2005, as the Company's
Chief Accounting Officer since January 2006 and as the Company's Corporate
Controller since June 2003. From February 1995 until June 2003, prior to joining
UNFI, he worked for the international accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP
within the assurance and advisory business systems practice, serving in various
positions of increasing responsibility up to and including senior manager. Prior
to that, Mr. Shamber also worked within the finance department at Reebok
International Ltd. He is a member of the AICPA and MSCPA and holds a CPA license
from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Mr. Shamber graduated from Bentley
College in Waltham, Massachusetts with a BS in Accountancy.

Lisa N'Chonon has served as the Company's Assistant Corporate Controller since
April 2004. From September 1999 until March 2004, prior to joining UNFI, she
worked for the international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP within its
assurance and advisory services practice, serving in various positions of
increasing responsibility up to and including manager. Ms. N'Chonon also worked
within the corporate finance department at Applera Corporation. She is a member
of the AICPA and holds a CPA license from the State of Connecticut. Ms. N'Chonon
is a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a BS in Accounting.



About United Natural Foods

United Natural Foods, Inc. carries and distributes more than 40,000 products to
more than 20,000 customers nationwide. The Company serves a wide variety of
retail formats including conventional supermarket chains, natural product
superstores, independent retail operators and the food service channel. United
Natural Foods was ranked by Forbes in 2005 as one of the "Best Managed Companies
in America," ranked by Fortune in 2006 as one of its "Most Admired Companies,"
and ranked by Business Ethics as one of its "100 Best Corporate Citizens for
2006."

For more information on United Natural Foods, Inc., visit the Company's website
at http://www.unfi.com.

UNITED NATURAL FOODS                      FINANCIAL RELATIONS BOARD
Mark E. Shamber                           Joseph Calabrese
Chief Financial Officer                   General Information
(860) 779-2800                            (212) 827-3772

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995: Statements in this press release regarding the Company's business that are
not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and
uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could
cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking
statements, including but not limited to general business conditions, the impact
of competition and our dependence on principal customers, see "Risk Factors" in
the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on June 8,
2006, and its other filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended. Any forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and, as such, speak only as of the date
made. The Company is not undertaking to update any information in the foregoing
reports until the effective date of its future reports required by applicable
laws. Any projections of future results of operations should not be construed in
any manner as a guarantee that such results will in fact occur. These
projections are subject to change and could differ materially from final
reported results. The Company may from time to time update these publicly
announced projections, but it is not obligated to do so.

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