Supervalu Sees 'Momentum' With C&K Signing

ELLIOT ZWIEBACH

MINNEAPOLIS — The switch by Oregon-based C&K Market to Supervalu here as the major supplier for its 62 Oregon and Northern California stores "should definitely add momentum" to Supervalu's efforts to add new customers on the West Coast, Ed Rawson, the distributor's vice president, sales and market development, for the western region, told SN Monday.

C&K is currently being supplied by Los Angeles-based Unified Grocers, a member-owned cooperative.

"This is the first win for us — the first West Coast independent retail account to affiliate with us," Rawson said of C&K, "and we hope that will raise awareness in the marketplace that Supervalu's supply chain services are available and ought to be considered.”

C&K will begin the transition from Unified to Supervalu early next month, with the process expected to be completed over the subsequent three weeks, Rawson said.

C&K is the company's first full-line grocery account on the West Coast since Supervalu picked up a warehouse just outside Portland, Ore., in its acquisition of Albertsons in 2006 — although the distributor does supply general merchandise and health and beauty care to Smart & Final, Los Angeles, and HBC to Save Mart Supermarkets, Modesto, Calif.