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1885-1995: A NASH FINCH RETROSPECTIVE

MINNEAPOLIS -- A hundred and 10 years after its founding, Nash Finch Co. is still in touch with its roots. Although it has expanded way beyond the U.S. borders to Mexico, Chile and Hungary, it has continued to maintain a close connection with retailers of the Midwest. "It's the small and medium-sized wholesalers, whose customers operate within the same marketplace, that will survive," said Al Flaten,

MINNEAPOLIS -- A hundred and 10 years after its founding, Nash Finch Co. is still in touch with its roots. Although it has expanded way beyond the U.S. borders to Mexico, Chile and Hungary, it has continued to maintain a close connection with retailers of the Midwest. "It's the small and medium-sized wholesalers, whose customers operate within the same marketplace, that will survive," said Al Flaten, president and chief executive officer of the $2.8 billion company. In this issue, SN marks Nash Finch's 110th anniversary by taking a retrospective look at the company, from its earliest years on the North Dakota prairie in the late 19th century to its current efforts to implement Efficient Consumer Response programs that will carry it into the 21st century. Observing its 110th year in business "represents a very important heritage for all our employees," Flaten told SN. "We're probably one of the oldest companies still in existence that's never been sold or changed hands, and there's a tremendous amount of pride working for a company with as long a period of existence as we have had." One of the secrets of its longevity, Flaten said, has been a willingness to change with the times. "We see the need to change because the industry is changing," he said. "We realize we must adapt and move in the direction the entire industry is moving, and we're willing to do that." Indeed, from its earliest days, change has been a constant for Nash Finch, moving from a retail to a wholesale operation as it sought to improve the product selection available to other retailers, including a wider assortment of groceries, fresher produce and cold-storage items. The company also recognized the advantages of aggressive growth, buying up smaller wholesalers beginning in 1896 and continuing through to 1992, when Nash Finch acquired Alfa Trading Co. in Budapest, Hungary. SN stories in this issue's retrospective of Nash Finch include the following: