SpartanNash acquires Great Lakes Foods

Retailer and wholesaler SpartanNash said Thursday it has acquired Great Lakes Foods, an independent grocery wholesaler that serves about 100 independent grocery retailers in the Midwest.

Terms were not disclosed.

Great Lakes Foods operates a 300,000-square-foot distribution center in Menominee, Mich., from which it serves retailers throughout the state, as well as in Illinois and Wisconsin, according to its website.

“This acquisition represents SpartanNash’s ongoing commitment to optimize our supply chain network, drive growth through geographic expansion, and serve our customers more efficiently,” said Masiar Tayebi, executive VP and chief strategy and information officer, SpartanNash. “The location of this distribution center is ideal for serving both new and existing customers in the surrounding communities – as well as our own company-owned stores in the Upper Peninsula.”

Great Lakes Foods traces its roots back more than 100 years. It was acquired by local businessman Tom Kuber in 2012, who expanded the square footage and added office space at the site. It offers a full line of grocery products, according to its website, including bakery, produce, meat, frozen foods, and general merchandise/HBC.

It carries the Best Choice and Always Save private label brands, which are owned by Associated Wholesale Grocers. It was not immediately clear if SpartanNash would continue to carry those brands. SpartanNash said it would make available to its new retail customers its own private label products, which include both its own Our Family line, and private labels from Topco.

Customers of the Great Lakes Foods facility will also gain access to SpartanNash’s marketing support, merchandising expertise and other services, the company said.

SpartanNash, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., said the integration of the new warehouse will take place “strategically” throughout 2023.

"I am incredibly proud that SpartanNash purchased our distribution center,” said Kuber in a statement. “We value our associates and long-standing customers and know SpartanNash is well-equipped to elevate the level of service and amplify its ‘people first’ culture based on their strong track record.”

SpartanNash operates 18 distribution centers totaling more than 8.6 million square feet. The company said it would continue to employ the 125 workers at the newly acquired facility, while investing in capital and technology updates and expanding services to its customers.

In addition to its retail distribution operations, SpartanNash also operates a global military commissary supply business and owns and operates 147 supermarkets, primarily under the Family Fare, Martin's Super Markets and D&W Fresh Market banners.