Last updated on March 12th, 2021
Retailer Owned Food Distributors & Associates (ROFDA) Board Member and Secretary Mike Violette, president and CEO of Associated Grocers of New England, recently presented a $50,000 check to the American Red Cross. The donation was presented on behalf of ROFDA and its associates and was made at the Associated Grocers’ headquarters in Pembroke, New Hampshire.
This donation was procured through the sponsorships of each company attending ROFDA’s first virtual conference this past November.
ROFDA is an organization built on integrity, unity and strength and these values are ever-present throughout all aspects of operation. ROFDA’s fall conference was certainly different, but it provided a streamlined program offering direct interaction with ROFDA’s CEOs, a live Q&A-style update from the ROFDA Advisory Council (RAC) and a new opportunity to speak openly with its seven share groups.
These groups consist of executive-level representatives from each ROFDA house that work directly within a respective field (i.e. procurement, retail operations, etc.), allowing each attendee to maximize value and efficiency in delivering their message to the right people.
The heart of ROFDA has always been its relationships and thus it is vital to keep the existing lines of communication and collaboration open as well as establish new ones. ROFDA’s planning team has worked diligently to incorporate as much one-on-one interaction within the virtual format of the new world, including a Zoom cocktail party where the ROFDA family was able to connect in a more informal manner post-meetings. Overall, the conference surpassed all expectations and proved to be a success, solidifying ROFDA’s resilience and adaptability.
The Spring Virtual Conference is scheduled for May 12-13. It will be a very similar format as last November, but with some additional surprises. Save-the-dates have been emailed and more details will be coming soon, via email and on the web portal (rofda.com).
ROFDA was established in 1962 by a group of retailer-owned distributors referred to then as Southeastern Food Cooperative Associates (SFCA). Today, ROFDA operates across the United States as a cooperative and serves its Members and Associates through a shared purpose and mission.
The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.
ROFDA Chairman David Bullard recently talked to The Shelby Report about what 2021 may hold for independent grocers. See story, here.
