Associated Supermarkets

The Associated Supermarket Group is renowned for providing small independent supermarkets with over 60 years of service under various trade names including Associated, Compare, Met Foodmarkets Pioneer Metropolitan City Market among others.

After DiGiorgio’s bankruptcy, many members migrated to different wholesalers; for example, some Associated stores now operate under Cherry Valley Marketplace and City Fresh Market banners.

Associated Supermarket Group

Associated Supermarket Group (ASG) recently unveiled their newest location in Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy neighborhood under its Met Fresh Supermarket banner, providing shoppers with access to an array of natural, organic and specialty foods as well as produce areas, juice bars, butcher sections, bulk buying sections and even cafe seating to relax with while shopping! ASG operates its retail network through independent stores operating under various banners like their Associated, Compare and Metropolitan City Foods banners.

Since 1954, Associated Supermarket Group is one of the United States’s leading privately operated grocery store groups. Operating over 250 supermarkets primarily within greater New York City’s region and owning or operating numerous other businesses such as retail merchandising, distribution, marketing, promotional services and store financing; as well as its wholesale division Associated Wholesale Grocers providing retail solutions to independently owned supermarkets throughout Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Associated Supermarket Group specializes in real estate sales and financial services, while providing business support and marketing services such as marketing data analysis and ad design to its members. Furthermore, the group supports local communities by sponsoring events and activities within them.

In 2016, the company unveiled Avenue A as its own private label brand to meet the needs of urban consumers. Known for its quality, fair pricing and commitment to sustainability, Avenue A is part of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Smart Choices program.

The mission of the Associated Supermarket Group is to deliver exceptional service and products while remaining profitable, while at the same time maintaining diversity within their workforce and employee participation in corporate activities. They follow the “Golden Rule,” offering benefits and incentives for associates. In addition, customers are provided with marketing data so they can make more informed purchasing decisions by taking into account sales research findings as well as customer insight about what items are popular sellers and consumer demand in stores.

Associated Foods Holdings

Associated Foods Holdings company is a wholesaler and distributor of grocery products in the United States, providing distribution, marketing, merchandising, promotional services to independent retailers as well as private label brands for customers. Their supermarket banners include Associated, Metropolitan City Market, Compare Fresh Macey’s Pioneer. Associated’s headquarters is in Port Washington New York employing over 30,000 workers with CEO Zulema Wiscovitch as CEO.

Established in 1935 as a bakery, the company quickly expanded into food processing and retail operations, eventually purchasing other businesses and entering new markets. Although facing price wars at times, it continued expanding globally until selling off its Irish retail food chain Quinnsworth Crazy Prices Stewarts to Tesco in the early 1990s.

In the late 1970s, Associated was losing market share due to larger competitors entering New York City markets. Chairman George Chalek decided to take measures in order to revive its fortunes; Eric Steinberg from Hills Supermarkets was hired as head of Associated. Unfortunately, however, these attempts proved futile; one by one members left.

Fresh Market has expanded into 19 locations since opening its inaugural store. Other chains in its family of supermarkets include Macey’s for value shopping; Dan’s and Dick’s Market for upscale formats; Lin’s Marketplace as an ethnic-specific store, and Avenue A for private label sales.

The company operates distribution centers in Salt Lake City, Payson and Boise in Idaho as well as retail operations in West Hempstead, NY; Waterbury Bloomfield CT; Zebulon NC and wholesale divisions located in Salt Lake City Boise ID Billings Helena Montana with an East Coast distribution center in Leonia NJ for wholesaler divisions based there and an Hispanic supermarket located in Brooklyn as well as licenseing “Associated”, “Compare” trademarks to its franchisees for use.

Associated Foods Inc.

Associated Foods Inc is an American retailer’s cooperative headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah that supplies about 500 independently-owned grocery supermarkets in eight states with groceries under brands such as Macey’s, Lin’s Market, Dan’s Fresh Market and DickaEUR(tm)s Market; their private label brand Avenue A is also widely popular with customers. The company prides itself on prioritizing local products while being highly active within their communities.

Associated Foods was established on the idea of local grocers banding together to help improve their individual businesses, beginning in Baton Rouge with 17 stores before expanding nationwide with innovative wholesaler services that empower member stores against national chains while creating successful supermarkets. Today, over 300 stores comprise the Associated Foods cooperative.

Obray notes that unlike its competitors, Associated Foods strives for quality over quantity when selecting products to sell consumers. Their sourcing team carefully chooses products in each category that match up with consumer wants – an approach which allows Associated Foods to remain cost competitive against chain rivals that focus more heavily on price.

Associated Foods’ success can be attributed to their commitment to local foods, which helps support local economies while increasing sales. Their private label brands such as Red Button Vintage Creamery Ice Cream and Shur Savings are popular with customers, while Full Circle, with its focus on organic produce, is growing fast.

Associated Foods not only offers an impressive array of products and services, but has invested in its facilities to enhance customer service. To decrease delivery times for its customers more efficiently, warehouses were opened in New York and Connecticut to better service them; additionally, an advanced warehouse management system will soon be implemented by the company.

Associated Foods takes great pride in supporting its local communities through fundraising events and charitable giving, such as providing $77,475 for MDA Summer Camp attendees and sponsoring a food drive benefiting Food Bank of the Rockies. Members also volunteer their time at food drives or other organizations.

Associated Food Stores

Associated Food Stores is a retailer-owned wholesale distributor serving independent grocers in Utah and eight other states, while also operating several corporate stores under various banners including Macey’s and Lin’s MarketPlace, Compare, Met Foodmarkets and Pioneer Supermarkets. Their branded products span mainstream, ethnic, natural and organic goods.

Western Family is its flagship exclusive brand and features more than 3,500 grocery, frozen, deli and dairy items. To match product offerings with consumer demands and stay ahead of value-type competitors, Obray states.

Obray explains that his company operates two distribution centers. One, situated in Farr West, Utah and about 45 miles northeast of Salt Lake City is home to its main distribution center of 1.3 million square feet; while an attached facility at their headquarters serves certain product lines. Furthermore, this second center allows him to manage overflow distribution efficiently.

Because of these changes, Associated is now able to streamline its supply chain and reduce costs, increasing their competitive edge in the grocery market and offering more value-added products and offering fresh and healthy foods for sale – ultimately increasing sales by 2023.

As part of its initiatives, the company has introduced a “groceraunt” division that offers prepared dishes and ready-to-eat items at lower costs than restaurant offerings are becoming more and more popular. Furthermore, a workforce management system was implemented that allows employees to arrange work schedules according to personal preferences while saving significant labor costs.

Associated has acquired most of the former Albertsons locations in Utah and operates 38 stores – three Macey’s stores are in Salt Lake City and 10 along the Wasatch Front. Additionally, the company owns Compare and Pioneer supermarket chains in New York to serve multicultural populations. Furthermore, Associated is deeply committed to diversity and inclusion initiatives; therefore several programs exist within its organization to meet this goal.