Associated Wholesale Grocers is redesigning the packaging for Always Save, its opening price point private brand, for the first time in nearly a decade, giving the value line a bolder look as competitors move toward more minimalist designs.
The Kansas City, Kansas-based cooperative said it developed the update through feedback from member retailers, internal teammates and Gen Z shoppers, aiming to stay familiar to longtime shoppers while appealing to a new generation seeking low-priced grocery essentials.
The redesign keeps the brand’s yellow color and existing logo but adds an expanded color palette, updated typography and what the company describes as playful arrows and callouts. AWG framed the approach as a deliberate contrast to value-tier competitors that have shifted toward plain white packaging.
“While many brands in the value tier are stripping away personality in favor of plain packaging, we believe Always Save has a unique character worth celebrating,” said Emily Detwiler, VP of AWG Brands.
“This refresh allows us to maintain that fun, approachable spirit and continue to communicate value to the shoppers, while standing out to the next generation of value-conscious consumers.”
Always Save is a portfolio of 550 key value items across the store, all backed by a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee.
“The new packaging features an updated quality guarantee seal, but the meaning behind that seal won’t change,” said Tye Anthony, chief merchandising and marketing officer at AWG. “This refresh ensures Always Save remains a powerful, dependable tool for AWG member retailers to compete and win in the value tier.”
AWG said member retailers also will have access to refreshed in-store signage and updated digital marketing assets to create a consistent experience for shoppers.
AWG is the nation’s largest cooperative food wholesaler to independently owned supermarkets, serving 1,100 member companies and 3,500 locations in 33 states. Consolidated sales in 2025 were $12.2 billion.