Introducing a salute to ‘backbone of our industry’

On the following pages, Shelby Publishing is proud to present its inaugural Exceptional Independents Awards. Nominations were open to independent retailers, wholesalers, technology and other service providers.

“Independents are the backbone of our industry, and this new awards program is an opportunity to recognize them for their contributions,” said Stephanie Reid, Shelby president.

“Independents are a vital part of their communities and lead the way in caring for their customers. Our Exceptional Independents Awards shine a light on these businesses that continue to help feed our communities.”

Coverage of the award winners will appear by region in the March 2023 editions of The Shelby Report of the Midwest, The Shelby Report of the Southeast, The Shelby Report of the Southwest, The Shelby Report of the West and The Griffin Report of the Northeast. Awards winners also will be featured on theshelbyreport.com.

Cox Foods IGA

Kentucky-based Cox Foods IGA was named one of the nine 2023 IGA USA Retailers of the Year. This is one of the highest honors bestowed upon IGA members.

Tate Cox has been serving as president of the store since 2020. He took over the business from his late father, Jimmy, who was battling Parkinson’s at the time.

Cox credits his store managers, communication and exceptional customer service as key assets that have allowed the business to thrive.

“I tell our managers all the time, ‘If we’re going to claim to be Hometown Proud, then let’s be it.’ To me, that means talking with our customers when they shop in our store and calling them by name,” Cox said.

“It means asking them, ‘How can I help you?’ and loading their groceries into their basket or car if they need help. It means going above and beyond what would be considered ‘ordinary’ to do the ‘extraordinary.’ In addition, we always try to be involved in each community as much as we can.”

To further his community dedication, Cox said his store helps sponsor local churches, schools and sports teams. It hosts cookouts outside the store, drawing families from throughout the community.

This past summer, Cox Foods IGA sent thousands of bottles of water, food and cleaning supplies to those who were impacted by devastating flooding in the Eastern Kentucky. “Anything we can do to be a light in our community is what we want to do. It has been said that ‘doing good is good for business,’ and we firmly believe that,” Cox said.

Eden Fresh

The Eden Fresh Market concept was born when customers started mentioning their desire for organic, local and specialty product options that were not readily available in the community of Fayetteville, Georgia.

Lithia Springs, Georgia-based Wayfield Foods’ leadership team heard the need and saw the opportunity to provide a broader range of healthy foods and envisioned Eden Fresh Market to be the fresh, hometown market.

Knowing that the produce department would be an area of greater interest, a fresh approach was taken when sourcing a greater array of local and organic offerings. Self-serve machines were also brought in to provide customers with fresh squeezed juices and ground nut butters.

The seafood department showcases a broader variety of fresh, wild-caught seafood items and now offers ready-to-cook options like stuffed salmon, fresh store-prepared crab cakes, seafood salads and bourbon marinated salmon.

The meat department provides a full line of certified Angus beef, grass- fed fresh lamb and steaks and a wide variety of plant-based protein options. Deli offers fresh, made-toorder sandwiches and salad bar, along with fresh smoked meats, a variety of cheeses and fresh baked goods.

Eden Fresh Market strives to be the best place to shop and the best place to work. Eden Fresh Market is an employee-owned company that recognizes the efforts and length of service of team members annually with profit contributions. Being employeeowned fosters a positive work environment and makes Eden Fresh a pleasant place to shop.

Foothills IGA

Located in Marble Hill, Georgia, Foothills IGA continues to deliver as a community grocer, bringing fresh and local food to its small town. It carries a 4.4-star average rating on Google reviews and offers online shopping with in-store pickup. This grocer stays engaged on Facebook as well, posting weekly ads so customers are always up to date on the latest deals.

Isom IGA

Last year was a great test for Isom IGA, the only fullservice grocery store for miles.

Isom IGA was devastated by flooding when a 12-hour deluge in eastern Kentucky brought 7-10 inches of rain overnight and raised the North Fork Kentucky River about 11 feet above flood stage.

Products were knocked off shelves after more than six feet of water had crested and retreated inside the store. But owner Gwen Christon was not alone for long, thanks to her supportive community. Employees, community members and a team from her licensed distribution center, MDI, quickly arrived to help clean and evaluate what could be salvaged.

Christon ensured her community had access to freshly made, nutritious meals while store clean-up was under way. She lent the Isom IGA parking lot to World Central Kitchen, a non-profit providing those meals to anyone who needs them.

Kingstree IGA

Joe Campos at Kingstree IGA in Kingstree, South Carolina, was recently named one of the nine 2023 IGA USA Retailers of the Year, one of the highest honors bestowed upon its members.

From the management staff to bag clerks, Kingstree IGA has been engaging in helping to reach this goal. Daily operations, employee development, customer service, marketing, local branding and community commitment are several of the areas focused on daily throughout the store.

Kingstree IGA also pays attention to employee development. It focuses on providing all the training resources and equipment employees need to provide the excellent service that customers deserve.

“My team leaders and I have taken the time to learn about employees’ interests and skills, so that they are placed into the correct department,” Campos said. “By doing this, employees are able enhance their skills. By having a safe and professional place of business, employees have a chance to further their careers.”

“Isom IGA has always been the heart of the community. It only makes sense that we would be the hub for people to get help now when they need it,” she said.

Among the many contributions Christon received was a check for $10,000 from GMA and Netspend. There also was a $75,000 donation in September from the Rev. Jim Sichko, who is based in the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky.

Rebuilding efforts continue at Isom IGA, which Christon hopes will reopen in April. Alan Atwood, retailer counselor with MDI, said the timeline is on schedule, with equipment for the various departments (dairy, meat, bakery etc.) having arrived in January.

Atwood said Christon is continuing to keep the Isom IGA name alive in her community. Around Thanksgiving, she bought $10,000 worth of products – including turkey, ham and all the fixings – from MDI to make holiday bags that were handed out in the parking lot.

Local branding and community commitment have gained Kingstree customer loyalty and support. Campos credited Williamsburg Hometown Chamber of Commerce for being a great community partner and helping promote the business.

The local grocer supported the Kingstree’s Fire Department Christmas Banquet as a way of saying thank you for firefighters’ service. Partnering with local churches and schools has helped further the store’s identity in the community.

Co-sponsoring a back-to-school cookout and 5K run, donating to the 4-H program and helping with holiday meals for the Outreach Center are just a few other examples of how the grocery store has repaid the community for its support.

Low Country Grocers – Piggly Wiggly

Lynn Willard of Low Country Grocers is a lifelong grocer who started in the business as a bagger at age 16. He worked his way up through the ranks at Piggly Wiggly Carolina Company to the position of VP of operations.

In 2014, when C&S acquired PWCC, Willard partnered with C&S to buy six Piggly Wiggly stores. Over the past seven years, Willard has acquired eight additional stores, making him the largest “S.C. Pig” franchise owner. Low Country Grocers employees more than 800 people in 14 different South Carolina counties.

Willard is constantly working with the communities in which he operates to feed his neighbors and customers. He and his team do many things to support local schools, churches, etc. He consistently reinvests in his stores with equipment and decor upgrades to represent the “Pig Brand.”

Willard worked with the nonprofit Basket Brigade to feed more than 20,000 people last Thanksgiving. His dedication to this event helped to keep it going over the past two years, when volunteers could not gather to fill baskets. This commitment ensured it would be a success despite supply chain obstacles.

Willard’s team procured the turkey, stuffing, green beans, pumpkin pies and more for the occasion. Two days before the holiday, volunteers once again filled a coliseum to assemble 3,500 meals. Tables were set up with each of the meal items and volunteers put the items in a basket and passed it down the line until each one contained a complete holiday meal.

Matherne’s Market

When disaster strikes, Matherne’s Market jumps into action. On Aug. 29, 2021, the eye of Hurricane Ida barreled through Laplace, Louisiana, and its edge went through Paulina, Louisiana. Those towns are where two of the four Matherne’s locations are located.

The stores were severely damaged and lost utility-supplied power for more than 21 days. As soon as the storm passed, employees began working on cleaning up the stores and procuring generators so that they would be able to reopen the stores to serve those communities with badly needed and necessary supplies.

With the help of Associated Grocers’ subsidiary, Dart Commercial Services, the team at JEL Electric and the local State Farm Insurance agent, the stores were able to fully reopen within 36 hours of the disaster, running on portable generator power. They were able to supply gasoline, ice, water, bread, milk and anything else they could get their hands on.

The stores also were able to supply local government with prepared foods for crews. The team members of those Matherne’s Markets worked tirelessly for their communities during those three weeks. Enough cannot be said of their loyalty to their company and their communities. Today, some 18 months since the storm, store repairs continue. Supply chain and labor shortages, inflation and other factors make the task of getting back to normal a challenge.

Piggly Wiggly Alabama

Keith Holley is second-generation owner of Piggly Wiggly stores in Alabama. He takes an active role in the community, which is why he decided to open a second location during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Knowing they are in hurricane zones, the stores have set themselves up so that they have not closed one day since the 1960s.

Walking into Holley’s newest store in Pine Level, Alabama,

Quality Foods/Food Depot

Gerald Taylor and Raymond Johnson are two gentlemen who are making a difference in many people’s lives as independent operators in the metro Atlanta market.

In March 1975, they purchased their first supermarket in Stockbridge, Georgia, formerly known as Kenney’s Market. Most of their friends thought they were crazy – crazy enough for each to mortgage their homes to help finance the purchase.

Today, Food Depot is an employee-owned company with 41 stores, having expanded outside the metro Atlanta area to include stores in Columbus and West Georgia, as well as Dublin and Macon.

Food Depot shines like a polished gem that everyone is proud to have an association with. Truth, honesty, integrity and treating customers and employees with respect have proven successful in a tough, competitive business. For example, all employees with at least one year tenure received three additional paychecks in 2022.

Food Depot also supports the community through donations raised corporately and at the register. Charitable donations have been made to the American Diabetes Association, MDA, Veterans Wreaths Across America, Food Bank and GFIA.

Food Depot is an exceptional retailer, not only proven by its success but also by its dedication to community and employees.

Ramey’s

Brad Ramey continues to lead the company in innovation and technology every day. Using old-school determination and cutting-edge equipment, this Mississippi-based company continues to grow and prosper.

Its stores are the center of their communities, employing hundreds of diverse local residents. Ramey sees that employees have the best gear possible to efficiently serve customers. He is a trendsetter in the grocery community.

visitors feel from the moment they walk in that the community was a priority in the design, making sure that the customer experience is always great.

Just watch as Holley interacts with his employees, and its readily apparent that he values their work and wants to make their lives better.

Reynolds Food Liner

Asked what he believes sets Oglethorpe, Georgia-based Reynolds Foodliner apart from its competitors, President Tom Coogle proclaimed it the “easiest question anyone has ever asked me.”

“It is our people,” he continued. “We have got a team that wants to get it done. And I think the reason we built that is because we’re focused on bettering our team members.

“And I say it in every single meeting that we have – our No. 1 goal has got to be to grow our team and give them upward mobility – a chance to move up and do better. If our team members aren’t doing better, then we’re not doing better.”

Coogle’s efforts to help better others extends past Reynolds, a seven-store operation in South Georgia, and into the Georgia Food Industry Association, where he serves on the board of directors.

Rouses

Since opening its first store in 1960 in Houma, Louisiana, Rouses Markets has grown to operate 63 stores today across three states – Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama – and additional stores are under construction.

CEO Donny Rouse is the third generation to run the business started by his grandfather, Anthony J. Rouse Sr., who pledged to give the customer two things – the best quality and the best price.

That promise still holds true today. Rouses offers consistent low prices on the items that customers buy every week. It also offers the convenience of online shopping, curbside pickup and delivery and digital coupons.

Rouses Markets ranks as one of fastest growing family-owned companies in the United States, and one of the top family-owned companies and largest employers along the Gulf Coast. It has 7,000 team members serving nearly one million customers.

Rouses Markets is the official Supermarket of the New Orleans Saints. It has been on the top Best Grocery Store lists year after year. It has made a lasting impact on the food business and local food chains by supporting local growers, producers, suppliers and brands.

The company has been recognized and honored for its charitable donations and commitment to the communities and people it serves. Rouses, its stores and team members, support local food banks, charities, festivals and events all over the Gulf Coast.

“Many independents, especially your one- to two-store shops, you don’t have a human resources department; you have an owner. You don’t have a marketing department; you have an owner,” he said.

Citing social media, he said the association has been “able to provide education for those kinds of things, and I think it’s meant a lot to the membership of GFIA and to those retailers, specifically. It’s helped them get on board.

“Annually, we present industry-wide numbers, particularly pointed at independents to show our retailers where they are. And it is a true collaboration. Independent grocers in Georgia work together and work together well.”