Auburn’s United Natural Foods/Supervalu is closing, laying off 116 workers, according to the state’s Employment Security Department, which received a worker adjustment and retraining notification (WARN) posted Wednesday.

The layoffs are expected to begin Sept 8, ESD/WARN reported.

United Natural Foods Inc. – a food wholesaler – bought Supervalu last year for $2.9 billion, consolidating operations and leading UNFI to close distribution centers in Auburn, Tacoma and Portland.

UNFI plans to erect a new, large-scale distribution center in Centralia and enlarge its Ridgefield operations.