June 29, 2025

Cyber Attacks Creating Empty Food Shelves At Multiple Stores After�Electronic Ordering And Invoicing Software Was Targeted In A Week-Long Attack

By S.E. Gunn, PhD -�All News Pipeline

For the past two weeks, I have noticed both a lack of stock on the shelves and expired food filling what would be empty space on the shelves at my local grocery stores. Popping into Walmart, Albertson's, Smith's, and Winco (the closest grocery stores to where I live), I noticed this trend to be spread among all of them.

On June 10, 2025, Whole Foods was identified as a victim of a Cyber Attack. United Natural Foods (who is the main distributor to Whole Foods and is based in Rhode Island) disclosed they were the victim of a week-long Cyber Attack that began June 5, 2025. Their electronic ordering and invoicing software was targeted. Turns out they don't have to let their customers know because the Cyber Attack did not "involve a breach of security of personal information or protected health information."

But this is not the first time a Cyber Attack has forced the grocery industry in the US to suffer. Back on November 13, 2024, techradar reported an attack at Ahold Delhaize USA Brands�involving stores such as Food Lion, Stop & Shop, Hannaford, Giant, and other brands. Not only was food involved but prescription drugs were delayed causing prescriptions to go unfilled. In addition, it appears that the Cyber Attack took down telephone lines at the stores as well.

Some are speculating this recent Cyber Attack was a "ransomware" attack. The National Cyber Security Centre explains that

Ransomware is a type of malware which prevents you from accessing your device and the data stored on it, usually by encrypting your files. A criminal group will then demand a ransom in exchange for decryption. . . .�Ransomware is a type of malware which prevents you from accessing your device and the data stored on it, usually by encrypting your files. A criminal group will then demand a ransom in exchange for decryption. The computer itself may become locked, or the data on it might be encrypted, stolen or deleted. The attackers may also threaten to leak the data they steal.

I think anyone with a computer remembers individual computers being taken over by Cyber Attackers demanding money for the 'release' of their computer and its data over the last 30 years or so. I have had a couple friends who were caught in this scheme. As many Cyber Attackers have found, it is a much more lucrative effort to target businesses where the people at the top are not very tech-savvy (or even tech-friendly, ignoring the advice of their tech teams to save money) and are easily duped.�

But it gets worse. On June 27, 2025, TheRecord.Media informs us that more than 2 Million people had their information stolen during that November 2024 Cyber Attack.�

Ahold Delhaize filed documents with regulators in Maine on Thursday explaining that the stolen information includes Social Security numbers, passports, financial account information like bank numbers, health information, and other sensitive employment data.

The Ahold Delhaize breach occurred November 5, 2025, was discovered November�6, 2024, but notification was NOT provided to the 2,242,521 (95,463 of them residing in Maine) consumers affected until June 26, 2025. Notice it took over 7 MONTHS for the company to notify effected consumers that their personal data was stolen.�

And it's not just distributors and groceries that are effected by this kind of Cyber Attack. The entire supply industry (from truckers to gas stations to farmers and more) are effected. The foods the farmers grow sit in warehouses rotting. The trucks (and truckers) who transport that food aren't driving. This means gas stations have less income because the trucks aren't travelling, so gas prices will have to go up to compensate for the loss. And you, the consumer, have to make choices about where to shop and what to buy based on what is available. Unless . . .

You become proactive and prepare for shortages. ANP has been espousing this idea since its inception. And their authors have written hundreds of articles over the years on being prepared for the unexpected.�

What can you do about this current Cyber Attack on the food supply?

First, you can purchase ready-made supplies to have on hand from freeze-dried foods to dehydrated foods to canned foods.

Freeze Dried offerings:

• Freeze Dried Meats�
• Freeze Dried Beans
• Freeze Dried Nuts
• Freeze Dried Vegetables
• Freeze Dried Fruits
• Freeze Dried Snacks
• Freeze Dried Milk
• Freeze Dried Cheese

Dehydrated Offerings

• Dehydrated Meats�
• Dehydrated Beans
• Dehydrated Nuts
• Dehydrated Vegetables
• Dehydrated Fruits
• Dehydrated Snacks

Canned

• Canned Meats�
• Canned Beans
• Canned Nuts
• Canned Vegetables
• Canned Fruits
• Canned Snacks

Packaged

• Packaged Meats�
• Packaged Beans
• Packaged Nuts
• Packaged Vegetables
• Packaged Fruits
• Packaged Snacks

Baking Supplies

• Flour
• Sugar
• Salt
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• Butter Powder
• Shortening
• Honey
• Vanilla Extract
• Chocolate
• Eggs

Second, you can learn to dehydrate and can foods yourself. ANP has published a few recent articles to assist you in the "do it yourself" arena:

• How Can I Preserve Thee, Let Me Count The Ways: Freezing, Dehydrating, Canning, and more: Make Sure You Have What You Need When You Need It
• Using Your Dehydrator To Make Biscotti, Crackers, Jerky, Fruit Leathers, And More!
• Making Easy, Fast Dehydrated Meals, From Breads To Breakfasts To Dinners And Desserts, Using Your Preps For Delicious Dining
• You can also check in the ANP Diner Forum�for more ideas.

Third, you can start your own garden and grow some of your own food. Check out the ANP Small Garden Sanctuary Forum for ideas and assistance.

Best practice? Do all 3.

But what about prescriptions? The November Cyber Attack also impacted the availability of prescription medicine.�

First, try to have a couple months of your medications on hand. There are a number of websites where you can pay to be 'seen online' by a doctor who will augment your prescriptions.�

Second, consider trying to replace those medications with God's Gifts (with the help of licensed professionals, of course!), check out some recent ANP articles on this topic:

• Make Your Own Medicine from God's Gifts! Teas, Infusions, Decoctions, Sun Brews, Syrups, Elixirs, Oxymels, Infusions, Salves, Ointments, Tinctures, Poultices, Compresses, & Washes
• Making Your Own Penicillin at Home - It's A Process - Perhaps Consider Oxymel, A Natural Antibiotic, Anti-Inflammatory Instead
• What Ails You? It Could Be Parasites. How Would You Know and How Do You Get Rid of Them?

And let's not forget about utilities, like electric, gas, & water. Cyber Attacks can stop those plants from generating just as easily as they did the supply chain to grocery stores! ANP has posted many articles on preparing for the collapse of the utility system. Here are a couple recent ones:

• More Than Half A Dozen States At Risk Of Grid Failure Blackouts As Biden-Era 'Green'� Regulations Contribute To Low U.S. Energy Supply
• Those That Will Survive The World War On The Horizon Are Those Preparing For It, Everyone Else Is on Their Own - The First To Die Will Be Those Assuming The Government Will Save Them
• Prepare For The Fallout: Whether One Agrees Or Disagrees With The Obliteration Of Iran's Nuclear Facilities, We Can All Agree That It Is Not The End, But Rather Just The Beginning

Bottom Line?

It's never too late to start preparing for disaster. Start small by buying an extra can or two of everything your normally buy. Look into converting some of those 'fresh' items into dehydrated, frozen, freeze-dried, or canned foods for your storage shelves. Learn to be self-sufficient with a 'do-it-yourself' attitude!