“We’re just getting started.” That’s the message from David Politz, new president and CEO of Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based Associated Grocers Inc. (AG), as the company marks its 75th anniversary this year and positions itself for future growth.
“It’s a combination of being local experts in our food market and offering a level of service and intimacy with customers that you’re just not going to get from anyone else,” he said.
The energy and enthusiasm of Politz and Associated Grocers’ executive team have spread throughout the organization, which is being honored as The Shelby Report of the Southeast’s 2025 Wholesaler of the Year.
Founded in 1950 with 17 members teaming up to lower the cost of goods by buying directly from food manufacturers, Associated Grocers has grown into a full-service retail operations support and solution center for more than 200 independent retailers in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Arkansas. It boasts more than 670,000 square feet of warehouse space, some 650 employees and annual sales topping $800 million.
In the past three years, the company has implemented new systems in procurement, category and warehouse management, fleet and finance and accounting, as well as retail systems.
“Our size has some very distinct advantages to it,” Politz said. “We’re certainly big enough to secure competitive pricing for our stores, to make sure we’ve got the right resources in place, but we’re small enough as an organization that we all know each other. Our retailers know they can call any and every one of us if they need to.
“And the other advantage, especially on the technology side, is that we’re nimble. We don’t have layers of bureaucracy and red tape … we’re very minimal, and we’ve demonstrated that time and again, especially on the technology side.”
Politz went on to note how independent grocers mirror that same philosophy.
“That’s what we try to do – make it as easy as possible for them to run their business, so they can focus on that. They don’t have to worry about pricing or the quality of products. They can lean heavily into their service to customers.
“We’re going to get the best quality products that we can get at the best price we can get, which will be very competitive, and we will give retailers as much support as they need, including those just learning the business.”
In South Louisiana, everybody knows
“We’ve got a bright future ahead of us. Retailers are growing, expanding, reinvesting in their businesses,” said Pete Tortorich, VP of retail operations/business development.
Whether with longtime partners or when courting potential new members, Associated Grocers’ strategy is straightforward.
“Our focus is the ease of doing business. It’s easy for them to do business with us and for us to make their lives easier every day with all the services we provide,” Tortorich said.
The goal is to level the playing field and get independents better deals.
“I think we have one of the strongest teams in place that we’ve ever had since I’ve been here. Everybody’s in the same boat, going in the same direction, and that’s important.”
Chad Soprano, Daphne Lamendola and Jim Crifasi, who as members of the AG Board of Directors are part of that team, point to the company’s deep roots in the region.
“In South Louisiana, Associated Grocers is king. Everybody knows who Associated Grocers is … there was no question who I was going to go with [when starting out]. It was Associated Grocers,” said Soprano, owner of Soprano’s Supermarket in Livonia, Louisiana.
Lamendola, who owns Lamendola’s Supermarket in Gonzales, Louisiana, echoed those sentiments.
“I was raised Associated Grocers. I believe in Associated Grocers,” she said. “My grandfather was on the board, so it’s been in my family forever. I just love all the growth. I want to see it go for another 75 years.”
Crifasi is the second-generation owner of Hi Nabor in Baton Rouge, which has been an AG member for 62 years.
“I asked my dad a long time ago what made him decide to go to AG at the very beginning. He said it was the character of the people that worked there. And that’s still true today,” he said.
Politz appreciates the passion of AG’s membership.
“The most successful retailers love being in the business,” he said. “And that’s a unique advantage that we have because of where we are, where we live, and that food is such a part of everything we do. The people that are in the business love being in it.”
He will get no argument from Craig St. Pierre, owner of DeLaune’s Supermarket in St. Amant, Louisiana.
“I’ve got a sign in my store saying we’re a proud member of Associated Grocers,” St. Pierre said. “In our area, people look for the Associated Grocers stores because they know we have good service, we have good meat, we have good products, and that’s a testament to what AG carries and what they buy. They’re buying good quality product and offering it to us to sell at a really good price.”
[RELATED: Associated Grocers Confirms Politz As President, CEO]
Going ‘above and beyond what others do’
To prospective new members, EVP and Chief Strategy Officer Carl Marks emphasizes AG’s commitment to service beyond competitive pricing.
He recalled how during the initial surge of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company dispatched 70 to 75 employees daily for three to four months to help retailers stock shelves due to increased demand and personnel shortages.
“I don’t think every wholesaler has the capacity or, for that matter, the willingness to do that kind of thing for their retailers,” he said.
Marks believes this level of service sets Associated Grocers apart and will attract new members.
“Price alone isn’t the sole determinant on what supplier you’re going to go with. You want a supplier that’s going to be a partner with you.”
Politz agrees.
“The presence of our support team, that’s something we do that’s above and beyond what others do,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of people who call on retail – and these aren’t sales calls. They’re from [the retail operations team], giving business advice and counsel to folks, helping them merchandise, showing them how to make something look better. That really sets us apart.”
Associated Grocers also offers various value-added services, including retail account managers, department merchandisers and a reset team that will overhaul an entire store or section at no cost.
“We will be involved all along the way,” Politz said. “Anytime one of our retailers is building a new location from the ground up or doing a major remodel, our folks are there every step of the way with them. Associated Grocers is a great organization to build your business on.”
Marks highlighted the “Fresh Start” team, a partnership with Associated Grocers’ private label broker DeJarnett Sales, which provides 18 to 20 additional personnel assets in the field to help stores merchandise and cut in new items. This initiative also aids manufacturers that often lack their own field personnel.
“We’re making big investments in technology, for the sole purpose of maintaining our efficiency and maximizing our service,” added Marks, referencing the use of robots and automation in the warehouse.
“The goal is not to lose employees or anything. It’s just to optimize what we already do well and make it even better. We’re making investments in technology because we’re making investments in the future and in our capacity to service more retail.”
Politz acknowledged the challenges of running a grocery store, adding that Associated Grocers is there to help.
“This is a tough business, and we just try to make it as easy as possible for them to run that business,” he said. “We don’t want them to have to worry about all those decisions and all those details. We want them to be like Wettlin Treppendahl (Associated Grocers’ member and owner of Treppendahl’s Food Center in Woodville, Mississippi). He’s out on the floor, knowing everybody that comes through that door.”