Topco Celebrates Its 80th Anniversary

Starting as a small cooperative to deal with product shortages during World War II, Topco Associates LLC today has nearly $18.3 billion in sales and is celebrating its 80th anniversary.

Founded in 1944 as Food Cooperatives Inc., the company would merge with Top Frost Foods in 1950, as the two organizations were well matched in the services that each offered to their respective members. The merger led to a new corporate name: Topco.

Its founders likely could not envision the size and scope of the company today, along with the impact that Topco has on its members and millions of shoppers across the country. Based in Itasca, Ill., the privately held company provides aggregation, innovation and knowledge management solutions for its food industry member-owners and customers, including grocery retailers, wholesalers and foodservice companies. 

Topco leverages the collective volume, knowledge and commitment of these companies to create a competitive advantage in the marketplace by reducing costs and offering winning business-building capabilities.

In this special report celebrating Topco’s 80th anniversary, Progressive Grocer's sister publication, Store Brands, speaks with key company executives and board members who discuss the impact that Topco has on the grocery business today and the opportunities for growth in the years ahead. Click on the content in sidebar for complete coverage.