Food solutions company SpartanNash hosted more than 1,500 food and grocery suppliers and independent retail customers this week for the 2022 Fall Expo at the DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, Mich.

The “Delivering Seasonal Values” themed event created a platform for independent grocery customers, CPG-brand representatives and SpartanNash leaders to share upcoming trends; discuss critical industry topics including inflation; and work collaboratively to find innovative solutions to mitigate rising food prices and help pass cost savings on to shoppers at retailers across its network.

The event was the first customer interaction of this scale since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Attendees participated in several educational sessions, including supercharging marketing efforts, specialty and variety merchandising, shopper expectations, promotional planning, prevention of severe incidents in the workplace and crisis response.

Customers were also connected with hundreds of deals and promotions at booths and auctions, discovering new products offered by both national CPG brands, specialty suppliers and SpartanNash’s refreshed OwnBrands, which provide shoppers with great value on their favorite items at lower price points. Prior to the Expo , independent retail customers were able to attend a model store event at local SpartanNash-owned Family Fare and D&W Fresh Market stores, allowing them to see and experience cutting-edge merchandising and marketing efforts to take back to their own stores.

As a food retailer and distributor, SpartanNash is positioned to support independent retail customers that rely on its robust coast-to-coast Supply Chain. The Expo included deals that customers will leverage to attract business and entice shoppers to shop more, buy more and save more in their stores.

“The SpartanNash Expo was extremely energizing this year, with a heightened focus on delivering the ingredients for a better life, made possible through our unique industry insights and solutions, as well as through the continued benefits from our Supply Chain Transformation initiative,” said SpartanNash Senior Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer Bennett Morgan.

“In the midst of the highest inflationary environment we have seen in the past 50 years, the partnerships and collaboration with our CPG-brand partners, national accounts and 2,100-plus independent grocers have been instrumental in combating higher costs to provide the millions of households we serve with best value on food and everyday household essential items. We are proud to be the distribution partner of choice for our customers, and we are committed to finding even more food solutions to drive superior results.”

Independent grocers value the relationship SpartanNash offers and found the in-person event to be equally beneficial.

“With all the challenges that come along with being an independent retailer, it’s nice to know that we can rely on SpartanNash as our trusted food distribution partner,” said Jason Nilssen, owner of Nilssen’s, a long-standing SpartanNash customer operating grocery stores in the Wisconsin and Minnesota markets. “Being able to count on value-added insights and Expo-related savings, particularly amid inflation, labor shortages and ongoing supply chain issues is critical to our business operation.”

During the event, attendees also had the chance to meet record-setting Heisman trophy winner and 11-year National Football League wide receiver, Desmond Howard, and witness an inspiring keynote address from Michigan native, veteran and Paralympic medalist, Melissa Stockwell, who is the Company’s Our Family brand ambassador.

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