Expo event draws over 1,500 grocery leaders from across the country for education, recognition, deals and networking
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Food solutions company SpartanNash (the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SPTN) gathered more than 1,500 grocery suppliers and independent grocer customers at its annual two-day Food Solutions Expo. Taking place at DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, the event featured supplier and customer award ceremonies, retail discussion groups, educational sessions, exhibit booths with special deals and sampling and live auctions. The Expo concluded with a donation of approximately 30,000 meals to Feeding America in Grand Rapids.
Independent grocers represent 33% of retail grocery industry sales, equating to $253.6 billion annually and 1.2% of the United States gross domestic product, according to the National Grocers Association. SpartanNash serves approximately 2,300 independent grocer locations.
“Independent grocers play an essential role in their local communities and bring a distinctive, vital perspective to the industry,” said SpartanNash CEO Tony Sarsam. “This event offers our attendees the opportunity to share innovative ideas, take advantage of some of the best deals of the year, and gain a deeper understanding of the trends and resources driving growth. Most important, it helps us identify new ways to partner together to elevate the grocery shopping experience.”
Suppliers showcased more than 400 new product introductions, including several SpartanNash OwnBrands offerings such as Finest Reserve by Our Family® pasta and pasta sauces sourced from Italy. SpartanNash also featured 14 of its independent grocer support services, including digital media, marketing and technology, to name a few. Popular trends seen on the exhibit floor include products containing dill flavor, ready-to-eat meal solutions, indulgent macaroni and cheese options, grab-and-go fried sandwiches, and non-alcoholic beverages.
The Company celebrated seven exceptional vendors with a SpartanNash Impact Award in recognition of their performance and commitment to delivering value to the Company’s independent customers and their communities.
The 2023-24 SpartanNash Impact Award winners are:
- Chobani, LLC – Best in Class
- Smithfield Foods, Inc. – Customer Excellence
- Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation – Supply Chain Excellence
- Great Lakes Cheese – OwnBrands
- InnovAsian Cuisine Enterprises, Inc. – Rising Star – Center Store
- The Nunes Company, Inc. – Rising Store – Fresh
- The Kraft-Heinz Company – Insights That Drive Solutions
As a People First food solutions company, SpartanNash partnered with vendors to donate seven truckloads of products to Feeding America in Grand Rapids. This donation is estimated to provide the equivalent of approximately 30,000 meals.
For more highlights from the 2024 SpartanNash Food Solutions Expo, please follow SpartanNash on Instagram or visit the event website.
About SpartanNash
SpartanNash (Nasdaq: SPTN) is a food solutions company that delivers the ingredients for a better life. Committed to fostering a People First culture, the SpartanNash family of Associates is 17,000 strong. SpartanNash operates two complementary business segments – food wholesale and grocery retail. Its global supply chain network serves wholesale customers that include independent and chain grocers, national retail brands, e-commerce platforms, and U.S. military commissaries and exchanges. The Company distributes products for every aisle in the grocery store, from fresh produce to household goods to its OwnBrands, which include the Our Family® portfolio of products. On the retail side, SpartanNash operates 147 brick-and-mortar grocery stores, primarily under the banners of Family Fare, Martin’s Super Markets and D&W Fresh Market, in addition to dozens of pharmacies and fuel centers. Leveraging insights and solutions across its segments, SpartanNash offers a full suite of support services for independent grocers. For more information, visit spartannash.com.
