Gourmet News

SpartanNash Hosts Its Largest Fall Expo

Published July 29, 2022

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.

Capture the attention of more than 25,ooo gourmet food industry professionals. To advertise in Gourmet News, call 520-721-1300 or email sales@oser.com. Click here to subscribe!

USDA, Oregon Sign Meat Inspection Agreement

Published July 28, 2022

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and the state of Oregon have finalized a cooperative agreement, under which the state inspection program may inspect meat products produced for shipment within the state.

The state inspection program must develop, administer, and enforce requirements “at least equal to” those imposed under the Federal Meat Inspection Act.

“Today’s announcement with Oregon will help strengthen our nation’s food system and help prevent supply chain bottlenecks,” said USDA’s Deputy Under Secretary Sandra Eskin. “This program is especially helpful to small meat and poultry processors in building their local and state marketplaces.”

With the addition of Oregon, 28 states have state inspection programs. In states with inspection programs, establishments have the option to apply for federal or state inspection, but product produced under state inspection is limited to intrastate commerce. FSIS provides up to 50 percent of the state’s operating funds, as well as training and other assistance.

States are key FSIS partners and formal working relationships are reflected in cooperative agreements between FSIS and affected state agencies. State Meat and Poultry Inspection programs are an integral part of the nation’s food safety system with about 1,900 small and very small meat and poultry establishments inspected under state MPI programs.

FSIS provides guidance to state MPI programs under these agreements, reviews each state MPI program and its requirements and activities at least annually, and provides approximately $60 million dollars annually to support the state MPI programs currently operating.

In addition to Oregon, FSIS has signed state inspection agreements with Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

For updates on issues related to the specialty food industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.

Hy-Vee CEO Edeker Stepping Down, Names Wiese as CEO

Published July 28, 2022

Hy-Vee Chairman and CEO Randy Edeker has named Aaron Wiese as Hy-Vee’s next CEO, effective Oct. 1. Wiese is vice chairman of Hy-Vee, Inc. and president of the company’s supply chain and subsidiaries.

Jeremy Gosch will remain as president and chief operating officer of Hy-Vee, overseeing all of the retail operations for the business.

“Both Aaron and Jeremy have been trusted leaders of our executive team for many years, and I am thankful for the leadership they continue to provide our great company,” Edeker said. “With this announcement, I can continue to focus on Hy-Vee’s strategy and evolution in today’s changing environment while Jeremy can focus on overseeing our stores and Aaron can focus on the day-to-day operations of the overall company.”

Wiese and Gosch will continue to report to Edeker, who will continue to serve as Hy-Vee’s chairman of the board.

Wiese started his Hy-Vee career in 1993 while in college. After graduating, he served in various operations leadership roles. In 2012, Wiese joined Hy-Vee’s executive staff as director, real estate strategic planning, and in 2013 became director, health/wellness strategic planning.

In 2014, he was promoted to assistant vice president, specialty pharmacy, and then vice president, business development, at Amber Specialty Pharmacy. Over the next six years, Wiese was instrumental in leading multiple facets of Hy-Vee’s health and wellness division, as well as serving as president of Hy-Vee subsidiary Amber Specialty Pharmacy for several years.

He was promoted to the executive vice president level in December 2020, and became president of digital growth and co-chief operating officer in April 2021. He was promoted to his current position in December 2021.

Wiese received his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Northern Iowa.

Gosch began his Hy-Vee career as a part-time clerk at the Lantern Park Plaza Hy-Vee in Coralville, Iowa, in 1995, and spent the next 12 years moving into retail operations management roles, including that of store director at multiple locations. In 2012, he joined Hy-Vee’s executive staff when he was promoted to assistant vice president, operations, northeast region.

Over the next six years, he held several executive leadership roles and in early 2018, he was promoted to executive vice president, co-chief operating officer, chief marketing officer, and later that year he transitioned into chief operating officer.

In April 2021, Gosch became president, retail operations and co-chief operating officer. He was promoted to his current position in December 2021.

Gosch earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Iowa. Gosch is only the fifth president in Hy-Vee’s 92-year history.

Subscribe to Gourmet News for updates on the specialty food industry.