AWG to establish St. Cloud, MN Upper Midwest Division; Coborn's to switch from UNFI/Supervalu to AWG

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storewanderer
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AWG to establish St. Cloud, MN Upper Midwest Division; Coborn's to switch from UNFI/Supervalu to AWG

Post by storewanderer »

https://www.supermarketnews.com/retail- ... istributor

Looks like UNFI/Supervalu did it again. Coborn was a very long time Supervalu/UNFI supplied chain and grew over the years. They were even allowed to buy Hornbacher's which were previous Supervalu Corporate Stores, of course that deal included some kind of a supply agreement.

Now they are switching to AWG...

And in order for AWG to establish an upper midwest division they are going to need more stores to supply than just Coborn's... I suppose they could pick some stores off from other suppliers too. Every independent/regional I went to back in MN was supplied by Supervalu except a couple corporate Nash stores over the line in WI.

Spending too much time in Oklahoma, I really have not been very impressed with AWG or the stores it supplies but it seems to have a program that works as its independents stay in business and seem to grow. Pricing is on the reasonable side and stores are well stocked (but check those expiration dates). The stores around Springfield, MO were by far the worst (RPCS Stores). In Kansas City it is a different story and the AWG supplied stores around that metro range from very good to excellent.

Just like families shop around for the best deal, these regional/independent grocers who don't self distribute have to do the same thing. So I would say it is great news for the regional/independent grocers in the Upper Midwest that AWG is adding a division there- competition is great for the stores and the customers.
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Re: AWG to establish St. Cloud, MN Upper Midwest Division; Coborn's to switch to AWG

Post by retailfanmitchell019 »

storewanderer wrote: July 21st, 2021, 11:00 pm And in order for AWG to establish an upper midwest division they are going to need more stores to supply than just Coborn's... I suppose they could pick some stores off from other suppliers too. Every independent/regional I went to back in MN was supplied by Supervalu except a couple corporate Nash stores over the line in WI.

Spending too much time in Oklahoma, I really have not been very impressed with AWG or the stores it supplies but it seems to have a program that works as its independents stay in business and seem to grow.
AWG did acquire Affiliated Foods Midwest (based in Norfolk, NE) 5 years ago. AFM serviced independents in the plains/upper midwest states, and a few independents in WY/eastern CO. They distributed the Topco Shurfine brand. Coborn's might've done business with AFM.
Coborn's should start buying corporate-owned Cub stores in the Twin Cities once SVU is willing to sell them.

Oklahoma (and Wichita, SW Missouri, Omaha, Des Moines) could really use an Albertsons presence again.
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Re: AWG to establish St. Cloud, MN Upper Midwest Division; Coborn's to switch to AWG

Post by storewanderer »

retailfanmitchell019 wrote: July 21st, 2021, 11:16 pm
storewanderer wrote: July 21st, 2021, 11:00 pm And in order for AWG to establish an upper midwest division they are going to need more stores to supply than just Coborn's... I suppose they could pick some stores off from other suppliers too. Every independent/regional I went to back in MN was supplied by Supervalu except a couple corporate Nash stores over the line in WI.

Spending too much time in Oklahoma, I really have not been very impressed with AWG or the stores it supplies but it seems to have a program that works as its independents stay in business and seem to grow.
AWG did acquire Affiliated Foods Midwest (based in Norfolk, NE) 5 years ago. AFM serviced independents in the plains/upper midwest states, and a few independents in WY/eastern CO. They distributed the Topco Shurfine brand. Coborn's might've done business with AFM.
Coborn's should start buying corporate-owned Cub stores in the Twin Cities once SVU is willing to sell them.

Oklahoma (and Wichita, SW Missouri, Omaha, Des Moines) could really use an Albertsons presence again.
Looks like Coborn's is actually using Food Club and Topco brands, but is carrying Wild Harvest from SVU, at most of its stores. At Hornbachers they are using all Supervalu brands (no Topco brands).

Coborn's did business with Affiliated Midwest in the past but stopped in 2016.
https://progressivegrocer.com/coborns-s ... ate-brands
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