EXCLUSIVE: What SpartanNash Hopes to Learn From Refreshed Family Fare Store
The first Family Fare supermarket opened in Holland, Mich., in 1966, and that town is the site of parent company SpartanNash’s latest store refresh. The location at 993 Butternut Drive underwent a two-month update to include several features centered on consumers’ demand for a convenient yet differentiated shopping experience.
Progressive Grocer got a chance to tour the updated location during an Aug. 1 event with SpartanNash executives and store leaders. From the first steps inside the store, the vibrant colors of fresh produce, set against contemporary farmhouse-inspired flooring and inviting lighting, signaled that the perimeter was a focus of change. “You can see that fresh really screams as you walk around the store,” said Bennett Morgan, chief merchandising officer at SpartanNash in his opening remarks. “It’s really quite compelling in terms of how it shows up in produce, in bakery and as you walk around deli, foodservice and the meat and seafood area.”
In addition to fresh products, ranging from berries sourced from nearby farms to artisan breads baked in house to unique sausage varieties created and made by staffers, this store is a bit different from other Family Fare stores under SpartanNash’s retail arm. For example, shoppers can get their protein fix at a jerky bar, with meat snacks made by a purveyor in Ludington, Mich., and also satisfy their sweet tooth at a freestanding display of retro candies. An expanded prepared foods section also caught many shoppers’ eye on the evening of the preview, with offerings like marinated flank steak and a hot-honey glazed fried chicken breast sandwich.
CEO Tony Sarsam was onsite for the ribbon cutting and said that the features represent the food solution’s company’s focus. “We’re in the wholesale business as well and operate stores like our customers do. That gives us a great opportunity to learn and gather a lot of insights. It was important for us to get into that detail and use those insights to create this experience,” he declared.
Sarsam cited four macro trends that are shaping store assortment, design and merchandising. Value is one of them, reflected in solid demand for SpartanNash’s Our Family and Finest Reserve store brands.
Another trend is indulgence. “People may be looking for value, but it’s super important they also get a chance to indulge in great flavor. So whether it's having a latte in the (onsite) Starbucks or experiencing our Finest Reserve products, you bring both value and indulgence,” Sarsam said.
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Other key drivers, he added, are convenience and health. Both of those factors remain important to shoppers and are exemplified in this Family Fare store’s offerings, like grab-and-go meals and the veritable rainbow of fresh foods that includes several containers of pre-cut fresh fruit.
Later during an exclusive store walk with PG, Morgan said that the Holland store was chosen because it is relatively close to the company’s headquarters in Byron Center and was a good spot for testing out products and concepts. “Once you learn, then you figure out, how to bring it to more customers,” he said, adding that the construction project took eight weeks but the planning was involved. “We worked on the pricing, the assortment, the merchandising, the product development and all of the things. It took us over six months to do the research on consumers and bring this to life. There are a lot of things we’re going to learn and we will continue to make it better, but if this doesn’t excite you, then you’re in the wrong industry.”
Store director Mike Farrell shared in that excitement, noting that he and his team are looking forward to offering shoppers an improved experience and selection following the remodel. “This store has amazing associates, many of whom who have been here a long time,” he shared. Some of those seasoned team members joined Sarsam for the ceremonial ribbon cutting.
With its 17,000 associates, Grand Rapids, Mich.-based SpartanNash operates two complementary business segments: food wholesale and grocery retail. Its global supply chain network serves wholesale customers that include independent and chain grocers, national retail brands, e-commerce platforms, and U.S. military commissaries and exchanges. On the retail side, SpartanNash operates 147 brick-and-mortar grocery stores, primarily under the banners of Family Fare, Martin's Super Markets, and D&W Fresh Market, in addition to dozens of pharmacies and fuel centers. The company is No. 45 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. SpartanNash is also among PG’s 2024 10 Most Sustainable Grocers.
