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President’s Message
Michigan Proud: Demand for Michigan food and agriculture remains strong william j. hallan
MRA President and Chief Executive Officer
Great news for Michigan: Our state’s food and agriculture sector experienced success despite the tremendous challenges of the past two years:
Certainly a bright spot from the last two years is that retailers were able to strengthen their ties to the communities they serve. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the vital roles you play everyday providing jobs and feeding families.
n The state recently announced that Michigan food, agriculture and forest products exports experienced 19% year-over-year growth in 2021.
This Michigan Food News issue has a great illustration of a hometown grocery store that’s been essential to its community for almost 80 years. You can read about Ed’s Orchard Market starting on page 5.
n According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Michigan’s food and agriculture exports set a new record, totaling $2.5 billion in 2021.
The state’s food industry continues to shine as May gets underway. Michigan’s earliest crops, including asparagus, mushrooms and various lettuces, are making their way to market — enabling grocers to highlight in their produce departments some of what makes Michigan great.
n Overall, at $437 million, processed food products represented the highest total value of Michigan’s exported food and agriculture products, accounting for a $72 million increase over 2020 export totals. n Other top product categories included soybean, sugar beet and wheat byproducts ($304 million); dairy products ($234 million); wood products ($230 million) and edible meat products ($215 million).
Here at MRA, we’re putting the finishing touches on our upcoming Retail’s Night Out event. No matter how much things change, we know the food industry is still a people business. As effective as online meetings have become, so much is lost when we can’t meet face-to-face. I’m a firm believer that making the right connection can change your business.
In announcing the news, the governor said Michigan’s food and agriculture industry “continues to uplift Michigan’s economy and make a local, national and global impact.”
Retail’s Night Out is an opportunity for you to hear valuable business-building ideas as well as enjoy some “after 5 time” to nurture and expand your network, relax and have fun. Please see page 9 for details, and we look forward to seeing you on June 9!
I agree with her. And from our association’s perspective, grocery retailers and suppliers continue to make our state stronger. Data from March shared by the state noted that Michigan’s food and agriculture industry generated 805,000 jobs and more than $104 billion to our state’s economy annually.
Michigan Grocers Division Advisory Board
William J. Hallan Publisher
William J. Hallan, President Michigan Retailers Association
Rachel Hurst Kroger Company of Michigan
Bryan Neiman Neiman’s Family Market
Craig Diepenhorst H.T. Hackney
Nick Lenzi Lipari Foods
DJ Oleson Oleson’s Food Stores
Lisa J. Reibsome Editor, Design & Layout, Ad Sales (517) 449-2256; LReibsome@retailers.com
Jim Gohsman SpartanNash
John Leppink Leppink’s Food Centers
Thom Welch Hollywood Markets
Publisher does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers in business competition.
Michigan Grocers is a division of the Michigan Retailers Association
© MICHIGAN FOOD NEWS 2022 MICHIGAN FOOD NEWS MAY/JUNE 2022 3
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Second-generation owners Ed and Betty Dean with third-generation owners, their daughter Theresa Dean-Rumsey and son-in-law Scott Rumsey.
Michigan Proud!
Ed’s Orchard Market is a hometown success with staying power
A
BY LISA J. REIBSOME
close-knit relationship with its customers has kept Ed’s Orchard Market in business for 79 years and counting. The store is a fixture in Hesperia, Michigan, a small village about 60 miles north of Grand Rapids.
“Our community has less than 1,000 residents. To stand the test of time, we must maintain a steady, loyal customer base,” says Scott Rumsey, who, along with his wife, Theresa Dean-Rumsey, are third-generation store owners. “It helps that our community connection runs deep. My family has been here for well over 100 years.” Shared Sense of Place Both Scott and Theresa grew up in Hesperia, as did their parents and Scott’s grandparents. Ed’s Orchard Market is named after Theresa’s dad, Ed Dean. The store founder is Ed’s father, Ron Dean, who opened a 2,400-square-foot corner grocery in 1943. “After many years of moving around the state working for Kroger, my dad decided to open his own store,” Ed says. “There was an opportunity to do that in Hesperia, which wasn’t too far from his hometown, so he moved here.” The store quickly became a family affair. “My sister and I grew up working in that store,” Ed says. “When I was 10 years old, my job was to bag potatoes. We’d get them in
100-pound sacks, and I’d have to scoop them into pecks, which are roughly 15 pounds of potatoes.” At that time, Ed admits, he didn’t much like being a grocer. “That changed eventually,” he says. “I grew up, and I grew to enjoy it.” Ed’s mom, Beatrice, also worked in the store. “She was a teacher, but she helped out in the store, eventually returning to teaching after my father passed away in 1961,” he says. By 1969, the corner grocery was too small to keep up with growing demand; so, a few blocks from the original spot, the family built a 12,000-square-foot store, which serves as the current location. After two extensive additions in the 1980s and 90s, the store expanded to 30,000 square feet. Besides changing size and location, the store’s name also evolved. Originally known as Hesperia Food Market, the name changed to Ron and Ed’s Market when Ed joined his dad in the business full time. It later became Ed’s Thriftway and finally Ed’s Orchard Market — when Ed and a business partner opened stores in Muskegon, Spring Lake and Fruitport, all under the Orchard Market banner. “We ended up selling those other stores but kept the store here in Hesperia,” Ed says.
continued on page 6
MICHIGAN FOOD NEWS MAY/JUNE 2022 5
Ed’s Orchard Market, continued from page 5
Ed’s Orchard Market strives to meet the needs of the community by featuring sale and everyday value items.
The store features Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables along with Michigan-made products such as honey, maple syrup and picked asparagus.
Around that time, Scott and Theresa moved back to town from Petoskey. “I was working as a CPA and Theresa was teaching, but we came back because of the opportunity to run the family business,” Scott says. Theresa and her sister had worked in the store alongside their parents when they were young. Scott’s background is in retail, too. “I worked at the Hesperia Variety Store part time during high school and college, and I attribute that job to my love of retail,” he says. Today, the store remains a family affair. At age 87, Ed’s still involved, mainly working on landscaping. “He plants flowers every spring and maintains them all summer,” Scott says. “He creates an amazing display. And he’s always available when I need business advice.” Scott works about 60 hours a week between the store and the laundromat next door, which he purchased six years ago. And his sister-in-law, Rhonda Wright, is the store’s scanning coordinator and social media specialist. “During the summer, our daughters work here as well,” Scott says, “so now we’re into the fourth generation.” Orchard Market is the only grocery store in Hesperia, with a few big box stores about 10 miles away. “The latest supercenter opened almost three years ago, and we sure felt the impact of that,” Scott says. “But when the pandemic hit, our customers came back. When it comes right down to it, they’re loyal.” That commitment goes both ways. The Orchard Market team is devoted to its customers as well. “We’re all in this together,” Scott says. “Up here, you know everyone, and they know you, so the number one priority is to treat everyone right.” 6 MAY/JUNE 2022
MICHIGAN FOOD NEWS
Value Driven That ethos puts service and value at the heart of Orchard Market’s customer-centric approach to doing business. “We don’t just work here, we shop here, too, alongside our friends and neighbors,” Scott says. “We understand our customers’ need for value, and we use a mix of tactics to keep costs down as much as possible.” The store puts savings and value front and center. Shoppers enter into the “Savings Zone,” a double-wide aisle where they find hundreds of sale and low-cost items. “Our customers are greeted with great deals including our weekly 10 for $10 promotional items,” Scott says. “We want them to know that we are always thinking of ways to help them save money, and we’re proud of the value we offer.” Grab-and-Go The aisle of savings leads to the deli and bakery departments, which are fan favorites of loyal shoppers and vacationers. The deli has an expansive selection of grab-and-go items that are convenient for busy residents as well as the many vacationers who visit the area to kayak, canoe, river tube and fish on the White River, which runs directly behind the store. “Total store sales increase by about a third each summer because the area is a popular vacation spot,” Scott says. The deli department also houses Ed’s Sub Shoppe, which is a frequent stop for a quick meal. “There aren’t many restaurants in Hesperia, so our subs and deli prepared items are big sellers for both lunch and dinner,” Scott says. “Two of our biggest hits are our broasted chicken and our potpies.” There’s debate about whether the deli or bakery is more loved. “Our deli is a huge draw, but people also come in just
The bakery is known for its fresh, scratch-baked items. It even has its own Facebook site, called “Bakery Ladies at Ed’s Orchard Market,” which is separate from the store’s main site.
for our scratch-baked yeast doughnuts, cinnamon rolls and long johns,” Scott reports. “They are made fresh daily.” Premium Meats Ed’s Orchard Market is also highly regarded for its meat department. “We’re pleased to offer Tender Ridge Angus Beef, which is grain-fed, hand-selected and optimally aged to ensure consistent tenderness,” says Scott. The store is also proud to offer their own label — Tubby’s Smokehouse — for the best smoked meats. Prepared with inhouse recipes, the Orchard Market team makes ring bologna, bratwurst, sausage, salami, bacon, smoked chicken and more along with several varieties of beef jerky and snack sticks. “We can even smoke hams and turkeys on request,” says Scott. Love of Local Living and working in the community makes it easy to know exactly what customers want, and often that’s farm-fresh produce and local specialty items. While SpartanNash is Orchard Market’s main supplier, the store also partners with Country Fresh, Lipari Foods and a few other suppliers. Beyond that, they source directly from local farmers and specialty producers as often as possible. “We support our state’s economy and understand the importance of offering local and Michigan products to our shoppers,” says Scott. Service Pledge The Orchard Market team of about 50 employees works hard to create and maintain an inviting atmosphere, often by adding new services to build better experiences for customers. Scott and his team made a pandemic-driven move into online shopping to better serve the community. “I had been evaluating the idea for a while, and the pandemic made it happen,” he says. “However, our older shoppers still like to just call and place an order. We do limited delivery, mainly for them, and our online shoppers use our curbside pickup service.”
The store sells smoked, cured and fresh ground meats and sausages under its private label — Tubby’s Smokehouse. “Tubby’s is also a big draw for hunters because we process their venison,” Scott says.
Orchard Market also added a loyalty marketing program. “We partnered with AppCard to offer customized rewards, perks and incentives for our loyal customers,” Scott says. A recent change that shoppers are really excited about is the liquor license the store obtained in January — enabling them to sell liquor in addition to the beer and wine products they already carry. “Now, customers don’t have to make a separate stop to complete their grocery list,” Scott says. “We love when we can make shopping more convenient.” The store added a 22-foot liquor section and a few endcaps. “We have a really great product assortment,” Scott shares. “Sales have started out strong, and vacationers are going to be thrilled about it when they shop this summer.” Community Stewards The store’s pledge to service extends into the community. Scott is president of the Hesperia Chamber of Commerce and sister-in-law, Rhonda, is the chamber’s promotional director. Scott also serves on the board of education. In addition to supporting local food drives, the family’s investment in the community includes sponsoring and participating in local festivals. “We started something about 10 years ago that’s been a great success,” Scott says. “Once a year, right before the Fourth of July fireworks, we make and sell elephant ears. We make about 600 to 700 of them, and they sell out within a few hours.” A standout aspect of the store’s community support is their focus on education. Their “Tools 4 Schools” program provides free equipment and supplies for local schools. “We know of no better way to serve the community than by enhancing the educational environment,” Scott says. Being a family-owned, community-involved store has served Orchard Market well for almost 80 years. “To have staying power in the grocery business, you really need to like people — and we really do,” says Scott. “We love our employees and our customers — and that makes this a great career.” MICHIGAN FOOD NEWS MAY/JUNE 2022 7
At SpartanNash, our flagship exclusive brand, Our Family, was developed more than 115 years ago; the oldest and most well-established in the industry. The number one reason for this success and longevity is our commitment to keeping the customer first - listening, responding, performing. 2000+ SKUs currently available throughout the entire store Product quality guarantee for consumers Exclusive marketing support, including industry leading social media solutions Multi-tiered community support program Comprehensive merchandising program Associate engagement plan
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Contact Jim Gohsman (1-616-878-8088) | jim.gohsman@spartannash.com or Roger Delemeester (1-989-245-0337) | roger.delemeester@spartannash.com for more information.
what’s in it for you?
great postpandemic business ideas
The tradition of Michigan Grocers conferences goes back 124 years when like-minded businesspeople started coming together in 1898 to share ideas and make connections. Today, the food industry is still very much a people business. It only takes one new connection to lead to new business opportunities or one new idea to grow your business. Our Retail’s Night Out event is an easy way for you to make that happen. Think about your journey from March 2020 until now. How many times have your priorities and your focus shifted? You’re not alone. The entire world has shifted. Keynote speaker Shawna Suckow will help you navigate a particularly major shift: consumer behavior. See how the pandemic has set us up for a decade that’s going to be as wild as the 1920s. Find out what strategies and tools are working right now to help your business stand out in today’s changed economy.
Organized Retail Crime Panel ORC is a growing threat, costing retailers an average of $700,000 per $1 billion in sales, reports the National Retail Federation.
insightful panels
after 5 pm join us
Legislative Panel How will current legislation impact you?
Attorney General Dana Nessel will lead an Organized Retail Crime Panel to share her work creating an Organized Retail Crime Task Force and Business Protection Unit in Michigan.
Panelists: Senators Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton) and Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), Rep. Matt Hall (R-Comstock Township) and House Minority Leader Donna Lasinski (D-Scio Township) will discuss this as well as how an election year and redistricting chaos may stir things up.
Federal, state and local law enforcement representatives will join Nessel to discuss what’s happening with ORC and how you can partner with law enforcement to curb ORC activity.
Panel moderator: Editor Kyle Melinn, who is coowner of MIRS, Michigan Information & Research Service Inc., which has been voted Best Capitol News Coverage by Lansing insiders.
We’ll head over to Lansing Brewing Company for a cocktail hour, strolling dinner and games. The evening will focus on reconnecting, networking and fun — game participants can compete for bragging rights as well as prizes. See retailers.com/rno for more information. Contact Amy Drumm, adrumm@retailers.com, to talk prizes, donations and sponsorship. We can’t wait to see everyone on June 9! MICHIGAN FOOD NEWS MAY/JUNE 2022 9
VISIT OLD FAVORITES AND
EXPLORE NEW FLAVORS, ONE FESTIVAL AT A TIME.
FEBRUARY WINTER BEER FESTIVAL LMCU Ballpark, Comstock Park
MAY
SPRING BEER FESTIVAL
Turtle Creek Stadium, Traverse City
JULY SUMMER BEER FESTIVAL Riverside Park, Ypsilanti
SEPTEMBER U.P. FALL BEER FESTIVAL
Mattson Lower Harbor Park, Marquette
OCTOBER DETROIT FALL BEER FESTIVAL Eastern Market, Detroit
M iB eer.co m
BECOME AN ENTHUSIAST MEMBER for VIP access to all MBG festivals! For more info visit MiBeer.com.
Every Michigan Brewers Guild beer festival features hundreds of fresh, local beers from many of Michigan’s finest breweries. Proceeds from our festivals support our mission to promote and protect the MI beer industry. Find a festival near you and take a tasting tour of the Great Beer State. For more information go to MiBeer.com.
#MiBeer
Legislative Update Here’s a recap of legislation on the move that could impact your businesses: n Allow right of access for service animals in training: House Bill 4256, which gives service animals in training and their trainers the same right of access to public accommodation (retail stores and businesses) that fully trained service animals receive, was sent to the governor. She has until May 12 to sign or veto it. A store or business that violates the current requirement to accommodate a service animal is guilty of a misdemeanor. Under the bill, this also would apply to service animals in training. n Add ORC to the racketeering statute: Senate Bill 691, introduced by Sen. Jim Runestad, seeks to add organized retail crime (ORC) to the state’s racketeering statute. ORC easily meets the definition of a racketeering — “the act of acquiring a business through illegal activity, operating a business with illegally derived income or using a business to commit illegal acts.” MRA testified in support of the bill as did Attorney General Dana Nessel and Solicitor General Fadwa Hammond. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill in early March, but the Senate has not yet voted on it. n Increase third-party seller transparency: MRA and MRA member Walgreens testified before the House Judiciary Committee in late March in support of HB 5485-
5487. Creating the INFORM (Integrity, Notification and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces) Act, the legislation is designed to address the exploding problem of ORC by adding transparency and verification tools aimed at limiting the resale opportunities of stolen products online. The committee heard testimony but did not vote on the bills. MRA also worked with several senators to introduce SB 1023-1024, which is a version of the bills that better mirrors similar federal legislation. MRA is working with sponsors in the House to request substitutes to align the House bills with the Senate bills. n Make some COVID flexibilities permanent: MRA is working with House members to have the COVID-granted pharmacy flexibilities (which are currently still in effect) codified permanently. There is a renewed sense of urgency in getting these flexibilities codified before the few remaining epidemic orders are rescinded. n Codify federal PREP Act vaccination/testing: MRA is also working with the House members to request a draft bill that would codify the federal PREP Act vaccination/testing allowances granted to pharmacies. These may lapse in 2023 without the federal government making them permanent. The bill would permit pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to order and administer COVID and flu vaccines, COVID tests and ACIP-recommended vaccines for ages three and up. It would also allow pharmacists, but not pharmacy technicians, to order and administer COVID therapeutics.
Cheers to 25 years of Michigan beer The Michigan Brewers Guild is celebrating 25 years of promoting and protecting Michigan’s brewing industry. Formed in 1997, the guild represents nearly 300 member breweries. Its mission is to promote and protect the Michigan beer industry with an overarching goal to help locally brewed beer attain 20% of all beer sales in the state by 2025. “A lot has changed in the world of Michigan beer over the past 25 years,” says Michigan Brewers Guild Executive Director Scott Graham. “It’s the approachable culture and deep passion for the art of beer that has keep the industry moving forward while proudly holding onto its roots.” Michigan’s brewing industry contributes more than 21,000 full-time jobs and $872 million in labor income, with a total economic impact of over $2.5 billion. In terms of overall number of breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, Michigan ranks 6th in the nation — supporting its title as “The Great Beer State.” Graham reports that there’s been steady growth in the craft beer industry. “Local beer is popular and appealing to customers, whether they’re residents or visitors to our state. It is also a profitable option for retailers due to its higher price point,” he says. “Whether it is a small mom-and-pop operation in a tourist town or a larger operation like Meijer or Kroger in more metro areas, there are opportunities for all retailers to be part of the Michigan beer community.”
To celebrate the guild’s 25th anniversary, member breweries were asked to brew a special beer, which will be called Grand Crew Ale, using member growers/producers of hops, malt and other Michigan-grown ingredients along with Michigan distillery barrels for aging. Each brewery’s Grand Crew Ale will be released in July as part of Michigan Beer Month. Since 2008, Michigan legislators have annually affirmed this month-long recognition. As part of the celebration, the guild is accepting submissions from retailers and consumers as part of a “Share Your Voice” promotional campaign. These messages — videos, photos or written accounts — will be used in a variety of promotions throughout 2022, most notably in “The Great Beer State Documentary” which will be released July 23 to coincide with the Michigan Summer Beer Festival. The guild hosts seasonal festivals throughout the year to promote the industry. For more information about those, Michigan Beer Month, 25th anniversary promotions and more, visit MiBeer.com. To “Share Your Voice” click on the Supporters tab for details. Retailers interested in supporting the Michigan Brewers Guild can join as an allied member. Email membership@mibeermail.com for details. MICHIGAN FOOD NEWS MAY/JUNE 2022 11
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262-806-1203 diane.guerrero@ awginc.com
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Food Marketing Conference reimagines the marketplace for a post-pandemic world The 56th annual Western Michigan University Food Marketing Conference was held March 22-23 at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids. Presented in on-demand and in-person formats, the event drew approximately 800 attendees. More than 35 experts were part of presentations about the conference’s theme: “Reimagining the Marketplace: Embracing Change and Transformation.” Leaders from MRA members Meijer and SpartanNash were featured speakers. Meijer President and CEO Rick Keyes was part of the CEO Forum, which was moderated my FMI President and CEO Leslie Sarasin. One question she asked was, “From all that you’ve learned while navigating the pandemic, what will you use going forward?” “Two important things we learned were that you can’t over communicate and you have to trust your team,” Keyes responded. Later, he added that, “you have to be comfortable being wrong.” He explained, “When you’re in an environment that changes quickly, you say ‘here’s my thought, what does everyone else think?’ And you quickly see that your initial opinion wasn’t so great.” The example he shared was that he couldn’t imagine putting up plexiglass shields at store checkouts when that was first suggested. “Then, the next thing you know, I’m thinking of ways we can get them up faster,” he admits. “If we would have stuck with my initial impression, we would have missed an opportunity to protect our customers and our team.” Going forward, Keyes said it’s important to listen to your team, hear all the opinions and talk it through. “It’s amazing how much you can get right and how fast you can move when you work this way,” he concluded. SpartanNash President and CEO Tony Sarsam closed out the conference with his presentation, “Creating a People-First Culture.” He explained that his goal at SpartanNash has been to build a strong, people-first culture and that means having great talent and great people in the organization. “Investing in talent every day of every year allows a business to build — and sustain — a great organization from the ground up,” he said. Sarsam described what a people-first organization looks like: “People want to feel like winners, and leaders create an environment that enables winning. And you spend time providing recognition of the team’s performance.” He summed it up by saying, “All great performances come down to thinking about people first.”
CEO Forum: FMI’s Leslie Sarasin with KeHE’s Brandon Barnholt, Meijer’s Rick Keyes and Hormel’s Jim Snee.
Closing Keynote: SpartanNash’s Tony Sarsam.
Governor names new liquor control commissioner In April, Kristin Beltzer was appointed as an independent to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission to serve as an administrative commissioner. Her term expires June 12, 2023. She succeeds Geralyn Lasher who resigned. With over 25 years in executive leadership and senior management, Beltzer founded KB Collaborative, a business consulting and public affairs firm. Prior to that she served as the director of appointments in the Executive Office of Governor Rick Snyder, as well as executive vice president and
chief marketing officer for the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, where she was responsible for business development, strategy and providing management and policy direction to the organization. She also worked for former Lt. Governor Dick Posthumus and spent 17 years on the staff of the Michigan Legislature. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications and public relations from Michigan State University and a Master of Public Administration from Western Michigan University. MICHIGAN FOOD NEWS MAY/JUNE 2022 13
Michigan Grocers Fund board holds annual meeting
The Michigan Grocers Fund is a member-owned, self-insured workers’ compensation program. The fund is regulated by the Michigan Workers’ Compensation Agency and guided by a volunteer Board of Trustees comprised of actual participants who are entrusted with the fiduciary responsibility of overseeing the fund’s operation. On April 20, the board held their annual meeting in East Lansing: n Curt DeVries, with Harding’s Markets West, was elected chairman. He has served on the board since its inception in 2014. Rich Cole, with Leppink’s Food Center, was named vice chair. n Staff from the fund administrator, RPS Regency, provided an update on the financial performance. Established in 2014 as a way to control long-term workers’ compensation costs, the fund has returned an average of 40% of a member’s premium, with over $810,000 returned to members in 2022.
The 2022 Michigan Grocers Fund Board of Directors: Seated from left to right, Vice Chair Rich Cole with Leppink’s Food Centers and Chairman Curt DeVries with Harding’s Markets West; standing from left to right, Mike Rupp with Town & Country Supermarkets, Dave Duthler representing Roger’s Foodland, Kim Kennedy with Polly’s Country Markets and Paul O’Donnell with Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace.
n The Campbell Group’s Sammantha Pattison discussed ways to better connect with more grocers to let them know about the Fund. Fund members consist of Michigan-based grocery owners who are focused on employee safety and committed to improving their existing loss prevention programs. n The fund is sold and serviced by a carefully selected statewide network of independent insurance professionals with grocery industry experience. n Fund participants must be members of Michigan Retailers Association. For more information, visit migrocersfund.org.
14 MAY/JUNE 2022
MICHIGAN FOOD NEWS
Angeli Foods sells to Miner’s Inc. MRA member Miner’s Inc. has agreed to purchase Angeli Foods in Iron River, as the Angeli family winds down 105 years in the food business. “This decision was very difficult, but we decided that the time was right to retire from the grocery business,” says Angeli Foods owner Fred Angeli. The store was founded in 1917 by Alfred Angeli, who emigrated from Italy. In 1972, grandsons Libero and Alfred “Fred” Angeli formed what became the current company. Angeli Foods has been a longtime supporter of the Grocers Association. In fact, in 2013, Fred was the inaugural recipient of Michigan Grocer’s Al Kessel Award for Outstanding Retailer. His passion and dedication to the community, the association and the entire food industry made his selection a welldeserved acknowledgment. According to Fred, “Miner’s is best positioned to serve our customers and the community. We also believe that the
Miner’s organization is a good fit for our employees. I’d like to thank my employees for all their hard work and for everything they’ve done. We wouldn’t have been successful for over 100 years without them.” In business since the 1940s, Miner’s is a family-owned grocery retailer doing business as Super One Foods, County Market and Woodland Marketplace Foods.
“We are excited about acFred Angeli with Red Salfai and Don Bastianello who are quiring the Angeli family’s former co-owners of the store. store,” says Miner’s PresiJim says. “The changes will take the dent Jim Miner, Jr. “We’re great foundation and success that Fred continually exploring ways to grow our Angeli and his team created and build grocery business, and we look forward upon that to enhance customer offerto integrating this location into our ings and meet new customer needs.” organization.” Angeli Foods will be renamed Super One Foods. “Miner’s is excited to immediately invest into the new marketplace with a significant remodel planned,”
With the purchase of Angeli’s, Miner’s will own 32 retail grocery stores and 10 liquor stores across northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
MICHIGAN FOOD NEWS MAY/JUNE 2022 15
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