Collaboration Has Been ‘Cornerstone Of ROFDA’s Success’ From Start

It’s impossible to talk to the board of directors for Retailer Owned Food Distributors and Associates (ROFDA) without touching on the topic of collaboration and how it helps the organization stand out.

“The old saying ‘two heads are better than one’ is especially true in the industry that we work in,” said Randy Arceneaux, president and CEO of Affiliated Foods Inc. “Independent grocers and wholesalers are operating in a very competitive environment, and they are up against the giants of the industry.

“The ability to come together and share successes as well as failures makes us stronger in the respective markets in which we compete.”

Calling collaboration “a cornerstone of ROFDA’s success,” Michael Violette, president and CEO of Associated Grocers of New England, said it has been a key pillar since the group’s founding.

“In today’s grocery industry, which is undergoing rapid evolution and transformation, collaboration is more critical than ever. As leaders in this space, we recognize that staying ahead of the curve is no longer just an aspiration, it’s a necessity.”

By working together, ROFDA members gain access to diverse perspectives, share resources and knowledge and improve their ability to solve problems effectively.

“This collective approach enables us to tackle challenges that individuals might struggle to overcome alone, ultimately helping each of our wholesalers and independent retailers stay competitive and responsive to the changing market,” Violette said.

He added that the ability to talk openly with other co-ops, as well as the various companies that serve independents, is critical to all their successes.

Ray Sprinkle, president and CEO of URM Stores Inc., agreed.

“This environment is unique, and we need to service independents in a way that allows them to be as competitive as possible,” he said.

Share group power

With collaboration a central focus, ROFDA has increased the opportunities for its share groups to meet.

“One of the best examples of ROFDA’s collaborative efforts are the share groups present at each of our biannual conferences,” Violette said. “These groups are made up of wholesaler representatives from different areas of the business – including a dedicated group for retailers – that meet to discuss challenges, successes and best practices. Participants openly share firsthand experiences, both successful and not, creating a valuable learning environment.”

These conversations are so impactful that many share groups continue to meet outside of the conferences, further strengthening the deep relationships built within ROFDA.

For Sprinkle, taking advantage of the many collaborative opportunities outside of conferences has been particularly beneficial.

“We represent the independents’ best interests, but it takes clout to level the playing field,” he said. “Whether it’s an operational, finance, HR, food safety or procurement issue, we get everyone together as a group – not only at the conferences but on conference calls and on-site visits.

“We have share groups that meet at a warehouse site, so they actually can see what’s being talked about in person, see how something works, put their hands on it and talk to the individuals throughout the organization that are actually making it happen.”

Sprinkle added that it has been immensely helpful to look at what’s working in someone’s warehouse and see how he can adapt that concept for URM.

“I’d rather steal an idea from another warehouse than try to blaze that path by myself,” he said. “One of the greatest things about ROFDA is the warehouses that are willing to share their experiences. [They can] tell us where the pitfalls are, how they would do something differently. That shortens the learning curve significantly, and it allows us to look at different systems in operation and find the one that works best for us.”

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Amy Niemetscheck, president and CEO of Certco, pointed out that true collaboration at RODFA is possible because the group and its wholesalers hold the needs of the independent grocer at the center of everything they do.

“ROFDA, and all wholesalers part of it, have two key words that are shared among their missions, and that is the independent grocer being the ‘critical piece.’ Collaboration and problem-solving together for the benefit of the independent grocer can and will continue to be a focus that can happen at the level of ROFDA due to that alignment,” she said.

Niemetscheck cited the focus on retail media networks, saying the fact that all ROFDA houses are aligned rather than competing against one another when it comes that initiative has given it a tremendous amount of traction.

“The ability to utilize associate members to leverage our collaboration on this topic has been amazing to see,” she said. “I look forward to the board continuing to put together share group synergies that will continue to tackle relevant issues that all of us are facing, always keeping in mind those words that keep us focused … independent grocers and their success.”

Arceneaux noted that the basis of ROFDA’s share groups is just that – “sharing the ideas that make us individually good in our own operations, within our markets, and then the coming together to be better as one.”

Dan Funk, president and CEO of Associated Wholesale Grocers, said collaboration is critical to success in business today.

“Working together to solve challenges and help achieve outcomes we could not do individually is critically important in our industry,” he said. “Each member company has programs or services that we have invested in over the years. Those that stand out can become solutions for other ROFDA members so we can utilize each other’s strengths to help create opportunities in our individual businesses.

“ROFDA helps as a connector between partners who attend conferences and between our member companies to help each of us grow our individual businesses.”

ROFDA also facilitates learning from its benchmarking activities.

“We expanded some of our distribution best practices to include our member satisfaction survey information, where ROFDA members can individually benchmark how our own customers and members are rating our performance compared to the overall performance of ROFDA members,” Funk said. “This has been another value-added tool for us to use to focus on continuous improvement within our business.”