2 IGA Retailers Honored at National Rural Grocery Summit

In late June, stakeholders from over 30 states convened in Montgomery, Alabama to connect around strengthening rural grocery at the 2024 National Rural Grocery Summit. With three keynotes — including one from IGA CEO John Ross — over 30 breakout session presentations, two documentary screenings, an exhibitor fair, and tours, attendees deepened their knowledge and discovered innovative strategies for improving food access in their communities.

Hosted by the Rural Grocery Initiative at Kansas State University in partnership with the Hunger Solutions Institute at Auburn University, the event honored two Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) members: Bryanne Olsen of Olsens Marketplace IGA and Jimmy Wright of Wright's Market. Keep reading to learn more about the honorees.

Rural Grocer of the Year: Bryanne Olsen | Olsens Marketplace IGA | Ajo, AZ

Bryanne Olsen was unable to attend the summit but is seen above accepting her award in Olsens Marketplace's Facebook post.

Bryanne Olsen's journey is one of dedication and adaptation. She started her career as a teacher. Then, after moving to Ajo—a small, rural town surrounded by the Sonoran Desert—she transitioned to running Olsens Marketplace IGA with her husband, Don. Following his passing in 2016, Olsen took the reins of their store and continues managing it today. The store is a lifeline for residents, providing essential groceries and supplies that are crucial in a remote setting.

Olsens Marketplace IGA employs 30 local residents, many of whom have been part of the team for over a decade. But their store doesn’t stop at groceries. Understanding her community’s needs, Olsen partnered with Ace Hardware to integrate a hardware section within her store. This strategic expansion not only diversified their product offerings but also made Olsen's Marketplace IGA a destination for both grocery needs and specialty products. The hardware section, occupying four aisles, offers a variety of home improvement tools and camping essentials, catering to both locals and travelers passing through.

Time and time again, Olsen and her team rise to the occasion to support their local community. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she swiftly organized the distribution of essential meat boxes through a partnership with the Cocopah Indian Nation. This initiative aimed to feed local elders who were particularly vulnerable when larger stores declined the opportunity to assist. Furthermore, Olsens Marketplace IGA collaborates closely with the Ajo Center for Sustainable Agriculture's food bank, where she donates products.

In addition to her role as a business owner, Olsen actively volunteers and advocates on behalf of independent grocers. For three years, she served as Chairperson of the Arizona Food Marketing Alliance Board of Directors, or AFMA. Under her leadership, AFMA embraced a new vision called CLEAR – which stands for Community, Legislature, Education, Alliance, and Regulation – to help ensure a strong future for Arizona's retailers and suppliers.

Grocery Champion of the Year: Jimmy Wright | Wright's Market | Opelika, AL

Wright's Market Owner Jimmy Wright speaks at the summit.

Jimmy Wright has been an independent grocer since he started working at his father's store in Opelika, Alabama at age 12. He purchased the store in 1997 and renamed it Wright’s Market in 2003. Under his leadership, the small business grew into a 22,000-square-foot independent grocery store renowned for its high-quality meat and produce. It currently employs 32 staff members.

What sets Wright apart is not just his business acumen, but his distinct passion for tackling food insecurity. He is nationally renowned for pioneering customer service advancements, particularly in transportation accessibility for both urban and rural patrons. He spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives to provide transportation to and from the store and introduced an efficient online ordering system with delivery services under the banner of Wright2U.

But Wright's influence extends far beyond the confines of his store. In 2015, Wright initiated a collaboration with Carver Neighborhood Market in South Atlanta, addressing formidable challenges faced by the market in sourcing from wholesalers. Leveraging his expertise and resources, Wright now facilitates weekly wholesale orders for Carver Neighborhood Market, ensuring a seamless supply chain despite being located 90 miles away in Opelika.

In his “spare time,” Wright serves as a consultant for the National Grocers Association with GusNIP and SNAP Online technical assistance. He actively uses his store as a pilot for things like dairy incentives, GusNIP models, and was even part of the SNAP Online pilot program. He serves on multiple industry boards, advocating for the needs of independent grocers and community-driven food access solutions. Wright is a member of the NGA Government Relations Committee and regularly testifies before both the U.S Senate and House Agriculture committees on the impact of food nutrition programs. Currently, Wright is partnering with IGA as a retail consultant in both rural and urban areas, sharing his expertise with grocers nationwide.

As the premier networking and resource-sharing venue for independent grocers and rural food access stakeholders, the National Rural Grocery Summit brings together grocery store owners and managers, community leaders, food suppliers, academic researchers, healthy food access stakeholders, policy makers, and funders to connect, share lessons learned, and innovate around best practices for sustaining locally-owned rural grocery stores and improving access to healthy food in rural communities.