It would be too easy for NGA to spend the year of its 40th anniversary just looking back on its history. Sure, it’s important to remember where we’ve been, but history is meaningless without a future. That’s why NGA is pursuing key strategic initiatives in 2022 designed to give independent community grocers a competitive edge […]
Category: Shelby Originals
Exclusive, in-depth stories from the Shelby team. Explore Food Industry features, market profiles, and unique perspectives from industry leaders.
Violette Says Different Perspectives Help ROFDA Members Learn
When the COVID-19 pandemic first began to unfold, Mike Violette saw the bi-weekly ROFDA conference calls as an invaluable resource for Associated Grocers of New England, of which he is president and CEO. “Each of us were able to bring something different to the table – the things that worked and those that didn’t […]
Food City Differentiates As Hispanic Grocer
Tom Duesman began operations at Food City in the Diamond Hill neighborhood of Fort Worth, Texas in 2021. By then, the country was nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic. But every community still needs to eat, and he saw it as an opportunity when he acquired the store. This is the first grocery store […]
ROFDA Board Members Envision More Inclusivity, Involvement
Members of the board of directors for the Retailer Owned Food Distributors and Associates discussed the state of the industry and shared their thoughts on what may lie ahead during a panel discussion at the organization’s fall conference. Board member Michael Violette, president and CEO of AG New England, praised the value of ROFDA’s share […]
Ord Grocery Kart ‘Making It Work’ Through Pandemic Challenges
Ord is a small Nebraska town of about 2,000 people. Kiley White, owner/manager of Ord Grocery Kart, has been a part of the community for 26 years. Like many other independent grocers across the nation, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges to the local retailer but also offered a bit of a silver lining. “We’re […]
Smith Emphasizes Significance Of ROFDA’s Share Group Activities
To keep the future of ROFDA viable, David Smith, ROFDA board member and president of AWG, emphasized that a core value of the association is its share group activities. “It’s there that we find ways to tackle common problems that we have in our industry and our respective businesses, and we can learn from each […]
Isom IGA Is A Hometown Grocer, Through And Through
When Gwen Christon was introduced to grocery retail, she was just looking for a job in her hometown of Isom, Kentucky. “I didn’t envision ever being in the grocery business. I really just envisioned getting a job…and going to work,” she said with a laugh. After her entry position in stocking, Christon continued to move […]
Administrative And Operations Manager Held ROFDA Together
With the presidency of Retailer Owned Food Distributors & Associates vacant for the past two years, organization officials say Teresa Pope, administrative and operations manager, has been the “glue” that has held the organization together. Pope was part of the first executive staff that ROFDA hired in 1990. Through the three presidencies since then, she […]
