SpartanNash gathered more than 1,500 grocery suppliers and independent grocer customers at its annual two-day Food Solutions Expo July 23-25 at the DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The event featured supplier and customer award ceremonies, retail discussion groups, educational sessions, exhibit booths with special deals and sampling and live auctions. SpartanNash’s Food Solutions expo concluded with a donation of about 30,000 meals to Feeding America in Grand Rapids.
Independent grocers represent 33 percent of retail grocery industry sales, equating to $253.6 billion annually and 1.2 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product, according to the National Grocers Association. SpartanNash serves about 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. 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 commitment to delivering value to the company’s independent customers. 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
