Retailer Owned Food Distributors & Associates members Affiliated Foods, AG Northeast, Certco and Piggly Wiggly Alabama Distributing Company have joined the FMI – The Food Industry Association.
With these additions, all of ROFDA’s current wholesaler members now are FMI members. Associated Food Stores, Associated Grocers Baton Rouge, Associated Wholesale Grocers, Brookshire Bros. and URM Stores had previously joined.
The move comes as FMI and its wholesale leaders have identified five strategies to strengthen transparency, collaborative planning, manufacturer return on investment, product innovation and technology investment across the grocery wholesale value chain.
Strategic growth partners
“Independent operators represent nearly 60 percent of our membership base, and their success depends on strong partnerships throughout the supply chain,” said Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO of FMI. “As we examined leading wholesale models across multiple industries, one theme was clear: the most successful wholesalers go beyond distribution to become strategic growth partners.”
Sarasin said the most effective wholesalers work alongside retailers to align investments, share insights, leverage technology and create mutual value.
“The challenges and opportunities facing independent operators today require stronger industry alignment than ever before,” said ROFDA president and CEO Mark Deuschle. “By joining FMI, ROFDA’s members are expanding their ability to connect around common goals — from improving supply chain visibility and planning to accelerating innovation and technology adoption.”
Greater industry engagement essential
Amy Niemetscheck, president and CEO of Certco and chair of ROFDA, said the ROFDA board views greater industry engagement and collaboration as essential to keeping independent retailers competitive. She said deeper engagement with FMI gives members access to broader industry perspectives, resources and relationships.
The announcement follows FMI’s recent release, in partnership with The Dialogic Group, Oliver Wyman and Dunnhumby, of “The Whole Picture: What’s Next for Wholesalers and Their Retailer and Manufacturer Partners.” The report draws on nine months of research and input from more than 120 stakeholders, including wholesalers, CPG manufacturers, independent retailers and technology providers, and identifies opportunities to strengthen performance and partnership across the grocery wholesale value chain.
Arlington, Virginia-based FMI works with and on behalf of the food industry to advance a safer, healthier and more efficient consumer food supply chain, bringing together retailers, producers and service providers across the value chain.