February 9, 2024

Volume 17, Issue 4

IGIA News

IGIA Women's Network

Quarter 1: Health and Wellness for 2024 | February 22

Thursday, February 22, 8-9am

IGIA Office, 2540 106th St #102, Urbandale, IA 50322

Start your year off on the right foot by learning how to manage stress as well as understanding the environmental, physical, developmental, behavioral, emotional and spiritual influences on your personal wellness.

Free to attend! Contact Annie Lallier to register. Please register by Feb 19, 2024.

Speaker: Erica Ziel | "Prioritizing You" (Read more)

Community Service: Donation Drive for Dress for Success

Clothing should be in new or nearly new condition. All items should be freshly laundered or dry-cleaned. Items should be on hangers. Items should be no more than five years old (please nothing worn before 2019-for fashion appropriateness. They accept women’s professional clothing, shoes, purses and jewelry. For more information: https://desmoines.dressforsuccess.org/get-involved/donate/.

Email Annie to Register

Event Details

Urgent NGA Action Alert: Stop SNAP Restrictions and Data Collection

What’s new: Congressional House Republicans are working to include a provision in the government funding bill that will allow the USDA to pilot SNAP restrictions and require SNAP data reporting.

Why it matters: Restricting SNAP Choice will increase program costs for government and businesses, not create any meaningful public health outcomes, and reduce the flexibility which is key to SNAP’s success.

Requiring SNAP data reporting would impose a significant burden on small businesses with no benefit to the government. In fact, USDA already receives data from third-party data collecting agencies.

We need you to contact your lawmakers and urge them to oppose these provisions.

IGIA Legislative Breakfast – March 20 at the Capitol

Join IGIA staff, board members, government relations committee, lobbyists and other IGIA members to meet and chat with legislators! This is a great time to introduce yourself to your state representatives and discuss your business and the issues that are important to our industry.

Breakfast will be provided. This is a casual meet and greet. Come and go as you please!

Where: Legislative Dining Room (Room G15) at the Iowa State Capitol, 1007 E Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50319

When: Wednesday, March 20, 7-9 AM

Cost: $25 per person

Thank you to our sponsors! Hy-Vee, Fareway, Kwik Star, Casey's

Visit Our Website

Cocktails and Conversations – February 29 at BeerStyles

IGIA's Cocktails & Conversations Happy Hours bring together new and longtime IGIA members in a casual, conversation-driven atmosphere where member networking is at the heart of the event.

Where: BeerStyles Taproom & Gastropub, 5513 Mills Civic Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA

When: Thursday, February 29, 2024 from 3-5 PM

Cost: $50 per person

Includes: Appetizers and 2 drinks

Thank you to our sponsor, Sazerac!

More Details

Iowa Grocers Education Foundation Scholarship Applications due in three weeks!

The deadline to apply is Friday, March 1 at 11:59 PM.

The Iowa Grocers Education Foundation (IGEF) awards $2,000 scholarships to high school seniors and undergraduate students who are children of full-time employees or $1,500 scholarships to students who are full-time or part-time employees of firms that are members of the Iowa Grocery Industry Association (IGIA).

More Information & Application

Informational Poster

February 22 is Supermarket Employee Day!

Celebrate in your stores and on social media! Visit our website for celebration ideas and follow IGIA on Facebook and help spread the word.

Member News

Fareway Cuts Ribbon For New-Look Norwalk Store

Feb 7, 2024 | The Shelby Report

Fareway Stores held a grand opening Feb. 6 for a 24,000-square-foot store at Chatham Ave. and Highway 28 in Norwalk that replaces a previous location in the city.

“We are excited to further serve the thriving community of Norwalk with a new, larger and updated store,” said Fareway CEO Reynolds W. Cramer.

Casey's Names Chief Pizza & Beer Officer

Feb 8, 2024 | NACS

The convenience store chain announced Feb. 9 that Joe Cruz will serve as its first-ever chief pizza & beer officer, beating out more than 500 qualified candidates for the prestigious and mouth-watering role.

Hy-Vee Awards $50K To Local Businesses During Showcase

Feb 1, 2024 | The Shelby Report

Hy-Vee, Inc. awarded $50,000 to minority- and women-owned businesses during the Hy-Vee OpportUNITY Inclusive Business Summit Jan. 31 at the Scott Conference Center, located on the University of Nebraska-Omaha’s Scott Campus.

The Top 100 Best Truck Stops Reviewed by Truckers

Feb 8, 2024 | NACS

Davenport, Iowa Kwik Star #1071 takes the top spot for second consecutive year overall.

Industry News

Dollar General Positions Itself as Serious Competitor to Traditional Grocers

Feb 1, 2024 | NACS

Discount retailer Dollar General Corp. has surpassed 5,000 stores across the country offering fresh produce.

What New Products Are Hot With Consumers?

Jan 31, 2024 | Progressive Grocer

Research and consulting firm BrandSpark International and Newsweek are out with their Best New Product Awards for 2024, which includes highly-ranked items in food and beverage, beauty/health/personal care/kids, household/pet and home goods/footwear categories.

Renew your Premier Sponsorship or join as a 2024 Premier Sponsor! See the 2024 Benefits Overview here. Contact Cara Corkrean today about Premier Sponsorship!

Platinum Sponsors

Coca-Cola Company

E & J Gallo Winery

Fareway Stores

Hy-Vee

PepsiCo

SHAZAM

Gold Sponsors

Associated Wholesale Grocers

Bernatello’s Pizza

Cylinder Express

Federated Insurance

Hiland Dairy

Kemps/DFA Brands

SpartanNash

Silver Sponsors

Advantage Solutions

AE Dairy

Anheuser Busch

Bimbo Bakeries USA

CA Carlin

Casey's General Stores

Certco

Constellation Brands

Frontier Co-op

Keurig Dr Pepper

Kraft Heinz

Kwik Star

Mueller Yurgae Associates

Old Dutch Foods

Rose Acre Farms

Russ Davis Wholesale

Sazerac

Versova

Wells Enterprises

White Claw Hard Seltzer

Bronze Sponsors

American Pop Corn Company

Barilla

Body Armor

The Boston Beer Company

Capital City Fruit

Cookies Food Products

CROSSMARK Sales & Marketing

Crystal Farms

Holmes Murphy & Associates

Hormel Foods Corporation

Hussmann

Iowa Lottery

Luxco

Pabst Brewing

Pan-O-Gold Baking Company

Pilgrim’s

Prairie Farms

Reynolds American

RollSeal

RSM US LLP

Ruan Transportation

Schraad Sales & Marketing

Sparboe Companies

Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits

Tyson Foods

UNFI

Upside

Voss Distributing/Red Bull

Escanner Sponsors

Iowa Grocery Industry Association | www.iowagrocers.com