Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. (AWG) member retailers and teammates celebrated the 40th anniversary of its flagship private brand, Best Choice, during the recent Innovation Showcase.
In 1985, Best Choice debuted with a mission to help member retailers offer shoppers a line of products that could compete with national brands in quality and price. In its first year, the brand introduced 360 products, gaining traction among shoppers.
Today, the portfolio boasts more than 3,300 items throughout various departments, including center store, bakery, meat, seafood and non-foods.
“We’re proud to celebrate a brand that has been so crucial to AWG member retailers for 40 years,” said Tye Anthony, AWG’s chief merchandising and marketing officer.
“Through promotions, digital coupons, category research, product innovation and additional marketing support, we invest a great deal into Best Choice to ensure it continues helping AWG member retailers compete in the marketplace.”
Throughout its history, Best Choice has offered products that meet or exceed the quality standards of national brand alternatives while using its scale and efficiency to keep the pricing lower than equivalent items.
“Best Choice is the anchor of AWG Brands, and quality is a non-negotiable,” said Emily Detwiler, AWG Brands’ VP. “All Best Choice products go through extensive testing before they are ever launched to AWG member retailers. These products also undergo annual third-party laboratory testing to ensure consistent quality standards.”
For retailers, this brand quality helps generate margin, build baskets and create consumer loyalty. It is the cornerstone from which the Best Choice Family of Brands was created and drives consumer trust in any other brands endorsed “by Best Choice.”
Although Best Choice continues to sell some of the first products introduced four decades ago, the brand also focuses on innovation. Last year, Best Choice introduced more than 200 products in categories across the grocery store, including center store, bakery, vitamins and general merchandise.
Through category initiatives, vendor partnerships and analytics from the AWG Partner Gateway (AWG’s information-sharing and data portal), Best Choice will continue to evolve, including through the launch of new adjacent pet and baby brands, Pure Wonder by Best Choice and Hello World by Best Choice.
“The Innovation Showcase allowed us to present new Best Choice products and brand additions to the Best Choice Family of Brands to AWG member retailers,” Detwiler added. “The Best Choice brand will continue to grow strategically within the AWG Brands portfolio, with a focus on quality and value – the keys to the brand’s success.”
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