(Image: Amazon Fresh)

Shopping in Capitol Hill-area grocery stores has become wacky enough that shoppers may not have noticed that a cyberattack targeting massive distributor United Natural Foods is causing bare spots on shelves and inventory problems at local stores.

The attack targeting UNFI first came to light last week and continues as the natural and organic grocery company says it has made progress but is still not able to fulfill and distribute customer orders.

UNFI is fully intertwined with the modern United States grocery economy including serving as the main provider for Amazon-owned Whole Foods, and also serving the parent companies of Capitol Hill area QFC and Safeway stores.

Smaller entities are also caught up in the mess. Capitol Hill’s Central Co-op says UFNI is “one of our largest suppliers” and is telling customers about possible shortages and “some temporarily sparse shelves.”

Central Co-op says it is trying to fill some of the gaps “by bulking up orders with local vendors and alternate suppliers.”

“Thanks for sticking with us while we sort through this challenge together!,” the Co-op said Wednesday.

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