Spartan Stores Named One of Fortune’s Most Admired Companies

Spartan Stores Inc. has been named by Fortune magazine as one of the World’s Most Admired Companies in the wholesale grocery industry for 2012.

Spartan was the only grocery company in Michigan and one of eight companies in the state to receive this recognition.
“We are extremely pleased to be recognized as one of the World’s Most Admired Companies,” said Dennis Eidson, Spartan’s president and CEO. “This achievement reflects the tremendous dedication and efforts of our associates as we strive to provide the consumer with consistent value and a quality shopping experience at our retail stores as well as provide our distribution customers a differentiated go-to-market strategy and value-added partnership. In addition, our consistent financial results and strong balance sheet have helped to further position Spartan Stores as a leading wholesaler in the food and grocery industry.”

The 2012 Fortune World’s Most Admired Company survey was conducted last fall among top executives, directors and securities analysts in 58 industries. A company’s overall score must rank in the top half of its industry survey to be named to the list.

The survey assessed nine reputation drivers considered to be crucial to a company’s global success: financial soundness, long-term investment value, people management, social responsibility, use of assets, quality of management, quality of products/services, innovation and global competitiveness. The complete list and related story appeared in Fortune’s March 19 issue.

Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Spartan Stores Inc. distributes more than 40,000 corporate and national brand products to about 375 independent grocery stores in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, and to 96 corporate-owned stores located in Michigan, including Family Fare Supermarkets, Glen’s Markets, D&W Fresh Markets and VG’s Food and Pharmacy.