Affiliated Foods Southwest prides itself on innovation.
s, chairman, president and chief executive officer.
AFS was the first operator in Little Rock to use electronic order entry, the first to offer boxed beef, and the first have its own dairy, among other leading-edge initiatives.
It is also unique in other ways. Davis said it is the only co-op to offer all-cash rebates at the end of the year, and it is one of the few whose chairman is an executive of the co-op. Most have a retailer in the chairman's slot, Davis said.
Following is a synopsis of AFS's history:
1943: The predecessor to Affiliated Foods Southwest began operating as a co-op when a few local retailers began pooling their resources to buy railroad cars full of supplies. At that time, each took care of its own delivery.
1948: They began operating their own warehouse.
1957: A formal co-op known as Associated Grocers is created with about a dozen local retailers as members.
Early 1960s: AG acquires a Memphis, Tenn., co-op, expanding the company's operations.
Early 1970s: Became associated with other local warehouses named Affiliated, and changed name to Affiliated Foods Southwest.
