Associated Food Stores Replaces Western Family Brand with Another Private Label

Wholesaler and cooperative Associated Food Stores has dropped the Western Family brand from Tigard, Ore.-based Western Family Foods and is replacing it with the Food Club brand from Topco Associates LLC, a cooperative based in Elk Grove Village, Ill.

The Salt Lake City-based wholesaler is transitioning to the brand as its national-brand-equivalent private label for the independent grocers it serves, with plans to bring a variety of current and new staples under the brands to the more than 400 independent grocery stores it serves across the Intermountain west. Food Club offers such center store products as canned fruits and vegetables, baking goods such as sugar and flour, condiments, cereal, crackers and other snacks, and frozen foods.

Along with the new Food Club items, Associated Food Stores is debuting Topco brands Buckley Farms in the meat category and Culinary Tours for specialty foods under its private label program.

“We are excited to bring Food Club to our shoppers. We know they will love it as much as they have loved Western Family,” said Boyd Irving, director of exclusive brands for Associated Food Stores. “We believe in Food Club so much that we’re offering a double-money-back guarantee if any guest is unsatisfied with the product.”

Food Club comprises 1,600-plus products, all of which come in clean-label packaging with key information callouts on the front.