Hy-Vee to Expand Product Offering Through Best of Local Brands Summit

Hy-Vee will host its quarterly Best of Local Brands Summit Sept. 7-9. The summit, which began in early 2021, will “expand and enhance the product offerings” at Hy-Vee grocery stores. Since the start of the program, 130 total new brands have been chosen and are available to Hy-Vee customers. Of that total, 28 have been women-owned and minority-owned brands.

“Hy-Vee takes pride in being partners in the communities we serve,” said Dan Lugar, senior vice president of procurement, Hy-Vee. “Sourcing from local suppliers is very important to us, and these summits allow us to meet business owners, and experience brands and products that we may not know exist.”

The company continues to encourage minority-owned and women-owned businesses to apply for the quarterly summit, which will consist of virtual interviews. Women-owned and minority-owned brands that have been selected in the past include: Lya Foods; MaMa Kicks; Dogpatch Urban Gardens; Hoppy Planet; Peggy’s Pepper; Linda’s Salsa; Pearlies Pickles; Becki’s Kitchen; Anthem Oats; Janie’s Mill; and Banner Road Granola.

Hy-Vee is accepting submissions for its Best of Local Brands Summit in these categories of retail-ready products: grocery, produce, deli, general merchandise, frozen, dairy, and health and beauty care.

Related:Hy-Vee Plans 6th Best of Local Brands, 1st Pet Products Summits

Asked what the company is looking forward to with this summit, Lugar said,  “Truthfully, each quarterly Best of Local Brands Summit is exciting because the businesses and product ideas are unique every time.”

Hy-Vee operates more than 285 retail stores in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

ECRM and RangeMe are assisting Hy-Vee in connecting with suppliers. The deadline for submissions is July 18.