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In the bustling aisles of the grocery retail world, where mammoth national chains loom large, it's easy to feel like another face in the crowd. But amidst the shelves and checkout lines lies a secret weapon possessed by independent retailers: their untold stories, entwined with those of their communities.
The art of storytelling is a mighty yet often overlooked strategy that differentiates independent grocers from national chains by highlighting their key advantage: community connection. Independent grocers and their store teams are their shoppers' neighbors, family, and friends. They can be trusted to put dinner on shoppers' tables, pack the kids' lunches, and provide the right breakfast to start their days.
But often independent retailers are hesitant to share their stories as part of their business strategy, IGA CEO John Ross says.
"Our retailers are the strongest members of their communities — they donate food and money to churches, Boys & Girls Clubs, local sports teams, and countless community organizations; they supply the local food banks. Even in natural disasters, they scour their aisles and deliver food and essentials to people stuck in their houses," Ross explains. "But rarely will you see one of our retailers saying, 'When you shop our store, your money goes back into the community.' Or, 'Trust your neighbors to pick your produce.'"
Personal narratives are a magic ingredient in successful businesses, as they connect the person behind the business to the person at the register. After all, 53% of Americans shop at small businesses due to more personal relationships, according to a GOBankingRates survey.
Let's explore the different ways independent retailers can tell their stories and define their brands.
How Geissler's Supermarkets Tells Their 100-Year-Old Story
Geissler's Supermarkets is a fourth-generation family-run business with seven stores in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Founded in 1923, when Adolph F. Geissler bought a little grocery store from his brother for $2,500, the business survived the Great Depression and World War II. Today, the fourth generation of Geissler’s Supermarkets manages the family business led by Bob Rybick along with Eric and Ryan Nilsson and Andrew Rybick.
The Geissler's team ensures shoppers know their long, local history by highlighting it throughout their digital presence. From the cover photo on their Facebook page (seen below) to their detailed account in the About Us section of their website, they frequently communicate their "founded by family" story.
The first store of the company that would become Geissler's Supermarkets, a seven-store group in the Northeast U.S.
That story expands beyond family when the team shares their focus on local.
“Where we found a great advantage is taking all those stories of local farmers, local producers of products and really bringing those families closer to our customers, families with our family as the conduit,” Rybick says.
Rybick and the team are so dedicated to their local relationships that they have adopted Local Equals Fresh as Geissler’s tagline and inspiration for digital content. Rybick and the team meet frequently with farmers and producers, filming videos in their orchards or on the farms where the produce is grown to feature on their digital ad and social media (see below post).
“We want to bring the farm to all of our customers,” Rybick says. “So I personally go there – we’re talking with the farmers, with the producers of the products, and getting the whole story behind what they’re growing.”
They even bring those stories to life in stores, with IGA Local Equals Fresh signage customized to feature local farms. Customers can scan QR codes on the signs to display Geissler's digital ads, complete with offers and aforementioned videos.
“It’s great when you can get local products and fresh products that are made locally throughout the whole store,” Rybick said. “So there’s a story to tell everywhere you just have to highlight in each department.”
Geissler's Supermarkets Local Equals Fresh signage shares details about Hillandale Farms, a local egg supplier.
How McKim's IGA Branched Out
McKim’s IGA, a store near the Kentucky border in Mount Vernon, Indiana, has been managed by the Williams family since 1991. A few years ago, Larry Williams took a step back and passed the reins to his sons: Brian manages the overall store; Matt manages the produce, catering, and bakery departments; and Kevin manages the meat and seafood departments.
In 2019, Brian branched out and opened Cooper's Cones and Stuff, a concession stand outside the McKim's IGA store building. Named after Brian's son Cooper, the stand specializes in ice cream, snow cones (with 44 flavors!), and cold drinks, refreshing customers throughout the summer.
Cooper's Cones and Stuff serves snow cones, ice cream, and refreshments in the summer outside McKim's IGA.
With a strong community presence, the Williams family is well known throughout Mount Vernon and Posey County. Naming the stand after Brian's son Cooper exemplifies the Williams' relationship with their neighbors. It's instantly recognizable as a Williams' family business, and thanks to the niche offerings and family branding, the stand was immediately successful. Brian says the stand paid for itself within the first month and has helped the grocery store, too.
“In the grocery business you’re making pennies on the dollar. With snow cones, it’s quarters on the dollar,” he explains.
Larry agrees. “Snow cone sales were accounting for more weekly sales than tobacco, frozen seafood, HBC, and just a little less than beer/wine,” he said about the first year the stand was open.
Kids Are Kings & Queens
As Cooper's Cones and Stuff demonstrates, it's never too early to bring your kids into the family business. After all, many of our independent grocers got their starts in the aisles of their grandparents or great grandparents' stores. Whether it's by name (Cooper's Cones) or updating the community on their milestones, people are interested
Jimmy Wright, owner of Wright's Market IGA in Opelika, Alabama, has frequently updated shoppers on his daughter Emily's accomplishments throughout the years via the store's Facebook page. In fact, his post about Emily starting her senior year of high school resulted in infinitely more likes and reactions than any of their food-related posts.
While not every retailer is comfortable sharing family updates publicly, for those who are it can be a successful way to incorporate your family's story into your brand identity. If it's of interest, you could even enlist your kids or grandkids to taste test IGA Exclusive Brand or local products offered in your store, like Christian did in the video below with IGA animal cookies!
In retail, customers are more than a transaction, just as grocers and their teams are more than just business owners. Each is a treasured part of a vibrant and interconnected community. By sharing your story, you become a stronger part of that community and demonstrate the qualities that make your store and team the right choice for shoppers. And with 64% of Americans shopping small businesses to show community support, putting your story out there will help them find you!
How are you sharing your story? Tell us in the form below. We may feature your brand and history on IGA.com and social media!
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