SpartanNash gathered more than 1,500 grocery suppliers and independent grocer customers at its annual two-day Food Solutions Expo. Taking place at DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, MI, the event featured supplier and customer award ceremonies, retail discussion groups, educational sessions, exhibit booths with special deals and sampling and live auctions. The expo concluded with a donation of approximately 30,000 meals to Feeding America in Grand Rapids.
Independent grocers represent 33 percent of retail grocery industry sales, equating to $253.6 billion annually and 1.2 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product, according to the National Grocers Association. SpartanNash serves approximately 2,300 independent grocer locations.