Chefs' Warehouse (CHEF) vs United Natural Foods (UNFI)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Chefs' Warehouse (CHEF) has outperformed United Natural Foods (UNFI) over the past year, gaining 99.0% versus a gain of 3.6%. Over five years, CHEF leads with a +229.7% price change compared with -1.1% for UNFI. Chefs' Warehouse is the larger company by market cap ($4.54 billion vs $2.66 billion), about 1.7 times the size.
On valuation, United Natural Foods trades at a lower forward P/E (10.9x vs 36.4x for Chefs' Warehouse). Chefs' Warehouse converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 1.7% versus 0.3%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | CHEF | UNFI |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $111.40 | $44.07 |
| Market cap | $4.54B | $2.66B |
| 1-day change | +0.35% | +1.10% |
| YTD return | +78.10% | +29.46% |
| 1-year return | +98.98% | +3.56% |
| 5-year return | +229.70% | -1.13% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 53.05 | 32.89 |
| Forward P/E | 36.42 | 10.85 |
| EPS (TTM) | $2.10 | $1.34 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $4.15B | $31.15B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +9.36% | -1.99% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $72.36M | $84.00M |
| Gross margin | 24.20% | 13.47% |
| Operating margin | 3.50% | 0.68% |
| Net margin | 1.74% | 0.27% |
| 52-week high | $118.51 | $57.02 |
| 52-week low | $55.71 | $30.91 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -6.00% | -22.71% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +9.52% | +20.26% |
| Average volume | 672.68K | 578.12K |
| Shares outstanding | 40.80M | 60.32M |
| Employees | 5,156 | 23,431 |
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Food Distributors | Food Distributors |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- CHEF has outperformed UNFI by 95.4 percentage points over the past year.
- Chefs' Warehouse trades at a higher earnings multiple (53.0x vs 32.9x trailing P/E).
- Chefs' Warehouse grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+9.36% vs -1.99%).
About Chefs' Warehouse
CHEF stock →The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, distributes specialty food and center-of-the-plate products in the United States, the Middle East, and Canada. It offers specialty food products, such as artisan charcuterie, specialty cheeses, unique oils and vinegars, truffles, caviar, chocolate, and pastry products and center-of-the-plate products that includes custom cut beef, seafood, and hormone-free poultry, as well as produce and broadline food products comprising cooking oils, butter, eggs, milk, and flour.
Consumer Discretionary · Food Distributors · 5,156 employees
About United Natural Foods
UNFI stock →United Natural Foods, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, distributes natural, organic, specialty, produce, and conventional food and non-food products in the United States and Canada. It operates in three segments: Natural, Wholesale, and Retail.
Consumer Discretionary · Food Distributors · 23,431 employees
CHEF vs UNFI FAQ
Which is bigger, Chefs' Warehouse or United Natural Foods?
Chefs' Warehouse (CHEF) is larger, with a market capitalization of $4.54B compared with $2.66B for United Natural Foods (UNFI).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, CHEF or UNFI?
CHEF returned +98.98% over the past 12 months, compared with +3.56% for UNFI (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, CHEF or UNFI?
UNFI has the lower trailing P/E at 32.9, versus 53.0 for CHEF. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Are Chefs' Warehouse and United Natural Foods in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Food Distributors industry within the Consumer Discretionary sector.