Last updated on June 13th, 2024
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Midwest
Gooseberries Fresh Food Market opened its doors in 2006. Eight years later, David Spiegelhoff received the Wisconsin Grocers Association (WGA) Excellence in Operations Award. This year he and Gooseberries Fresh Food Market took the top honor as WGA Grocer of the Year. The association’s board of directors makes the selection.
WGA President Brandon Scholz was part of a surprise announcement on Aug. 23 at the store in Burlington. Many of Spiegelhoff’s friends and family were on hand.
“It was very competitive,” Scholz said. “To win, Dave was up against all of his colleagues and friends across the state who had to score high, and I will tell you that it was very close. It usually is in these things.”
Scholz praised how Spiegelhoff treats his employees, makes the store a great place to work and gives back to the community. He also recognized Spiegelhoff’s efforts with the WGA.
“He’s been on the board. He’s been our chairman. He’s had just about every position there is to have in the association,” Scholz said.
He also said the WGA’s annual Grocery Industry Golf Outing wouldn’t be the event it has come to be without support from Spiegelhoff and Gooseberries Fresh Food Market.
“You’ve done so many things, Dave. We really appreciate it,” Scholz said. “We really appreciate it. You’ve been just amazing to the grocery business, and I just love you.”
Spiegelhoff said he was caught completely off guard. The award, he said, was for the family—the entire Gooseberries family.
“This is not an individual award, this is a family award, and I thank everybody and I am truly honored and humbled,” Spiegelhoff said. “I am very surprised. Well done.”
The surprise did not stop there, however. Thanks to Certco, everyone in Burlington will know Spiegelhoff is WGA’s Grocer of the Year.
“They are putting up a billboard outside your store that says, ‘Our Favorite Grocer is also yours,’” Scholz said.
That announcement drew a big round of applause in the store. The billboard now is up for everyone to see.
During the Chairman’s Banquet at the Innovation Expo on Oct. 17, WGA will formally honor Spiegelhoff, who has been in the grocery business for 53 years. Spiegelhoff started his career when he was in second grade. He sorted soda bottles at his family’s store. Spiegelhoff later took over the store and grew the company from one location to seven. Several years ago, Roundy’s bought all but one store.
WGA says Spiegelhoff had a vision for that store and the future of the company: a return to “a single-store fresh market focusing on customer service that is an industry leader in market trends and ideas. Gooseberries Fresh Food Market opened, and David has taken the mundane task of grocery shopping and turned it into a culinary experience. As a result, Gooseberries has created a culture that the community can’t get enough of,” WGA says.
Spiegelhoff also is generous, going above and beyond for the community as well as customers. Gooseberries sells cupcakes every Mother’s Day weekend to raise money for breast cancer awareness. Gooseberries also is a strong supporter of the local chamber of commerce, school sports and theater programs. WGA says that during the Burlington floods last year, Spiegelhoff opened up the store so that the American Red Cross could distribute emergency kits.
Gooseberries remodel ups the ante on fresh
Gooseberries Fresh Food Market just underwent a remodel. Spiegelhoff said the improvements reflect a commitment to freshness and quality.
“We just want people to have fun with us when they shop here in the store,” he said. “Grocery is kind of secondary. We’re really about having a fun experience while you shop.”
To that end, the remodel spotlights a sandwich shop lunch area, a dinner area and a new growler bar. Mixed drinks are available as well.
“We have fresh-squeezed orange juice, so we not only do orange juice but mimosas and screwdrivers. They love having the cup filled up and then they just go down and tap their own orange juice,” Spiegelhoff said. “We’re really having a lot of fun with it. It has been very well received. We’re doing about a pallet of oranges a week for orange juice.”
The meat department was expanded and now offers more organic and Amish chicken choices and new additions to the market’s homemade sausage. Spiegelhoff said the store now offers more than 50 types of sausage.
Spiegelhoff said that the market is working toward being a 60/40 or 70/30 retailer. The larger percentage is specialty and organic and the other 30 or 40 percent traditional products.
“I look at it with the big boys of Amazon and online shopping. Hunt’s Ketchup is Hunt’s Ketchup and it can be at that price,” he said. “We’re going to have it to offer, but our main focus is more on specialty, organic and things you really can’t buy on Amazon.com.”
WGA to honor several grocers
The WGA 2018 Innovation Expo is being held Oct. 16-18 at the Hyatt Regency and KI Convention Center in Green Bay. Peter Larkin, president and CEO of the National Grocers Association, will be part of the WGA’s Grocery Industry Summit Meeting. There also will be an Innovation Happy Hour, a Grocery Industry Trade Show, the Great Wisconsin Bag-Off and the Chairman’s Banquet and Awards Program.
Along with speakers and grocer roundtables, a new event has been added. WGA and the Wisconsin Bakers Association have teamed up for Wisconsin’s Cake Decorating Championship with a Halloween theme. It will take place Oct. 17.
As noted, David Spiegelhoff of Gooseberries Fresh Food Market took the top honor as WGA Grocer of the Year. He and several other grocers will be honored at the Chairman’s Banquet during the expo. Three grocers will take home the WGA Excellence in Operations Award: Tim Plevak, store director, Trig’s Wausau; Paul Godin, Godin’s Piggly Wiggly, Mequon; and Greg, Kari and Nick Hansen, Hansen’s IGA, which operates 11 stores in the state.
The Community Service Award winners this year include Scott Richter and Sue Huber, Richter’s Marketplace, and Doug Kulinski, Iola Sentry.
In addition, Mehmert Store Services in Pewaukee was named Vendor of the Year.
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