ASSOCIATED WHOLESALE GROCERS OF KANSAS CITY TO BECOME A LICENSED IGA DISTRIBUTOR

CHICAGO, IL - IGA today announced, as of the unanimous vote of the IGA, INC. Board on Tuesday morning, Jan. 18., it is granting a distribution license to Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) of Kansas City.

AWG of Kansas City currently services 1,400 stores in 20 states. Distribution centers in Nashville and Southaven, Miss., service more than 300 independent stores in AWG’s newly expanded southeastern trade area. IGA, through AWG, is replacing much of the distribution lost with the bankruptcy of the corporation’s major supplier. The four distribution centers licensed by IGA will be Nashville, Southaven, Springfield, Mo., and Oklahoma. Immediately, IGA product is being placed in the Nashville, Tenn., facility.

“Unfortunately, we cannot make up for the disarray IGA Retailers suffered with bankruptcy of a major licensed distributor, which meant the loss of our supply to 40 percent of our stores,” said Thomas S. Haggai, chairman and CEO of IGA. “However, I am enthused and strongly encouraged that this company I have known for decades, since my earliest friendship with their former president the late Lou Fox, will now have the energy to reclaim Mid-America, a historically major geographic area for our 78 year-old corporation. More than that, AWG will introduce IGA to previously uncharted areas of the country, leading to the induction of new stores to the IGA Family.”

“AWG is extremely proud to have the opportunity to become a member of the IGA Family,” said Steve Dillard, vice president of corporate sales development. “By offering the IGA concept to our members, AWG will be able to recommend IGA’s outstanding banner to many retailers who are contemplating a change in their store format. We look forward to growing our businesses together.”

IGA, the only global supermarketer based in the United States, is the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $21 billion per year. The Alliance includes more than 4,000 Hometown Proud Supermarkets worldwide, supported by 37 distribution companies and more the 55 major manufacturers, vendors and suppliers encompassing everything from grocery to equipment items. IGA ranks in the top 10 in world food supermarketing. IGA has operations in 48 of the United States and more than 40 countries, commonwealths and territories on all six inhabited continents.