Coborn's Enters Wisconsin with Acquisition of Marketplace Foods

Coborn’s Inc. is entering the Wisconsin market with the acquisition of Marketplace Foods, an independent chain of four grocery/liquor stores in western Wisconsin.

“By expanding into Wisconsin and adding these four stores into the Coborn’s family, we are experiencing positive, strategic growth for our company,” said Chris Coborn,  president, CEO and chairman of St. Cloud, Minn.-based Coborn's. “Marketplace Foods has a history of solid performance and a culture that is well aligned with our culture at Coborn’s. These four stores are beautiful – destination shopping experiences – and I’m excited to include them in the Coborn’s family of stores.”

Retaining current leadership

The four Marketplace Foods stores are located in Hayward, Menomonie, Rice Lake and St. Croix Falls. These stores will continue to operate as Marketplace Foods, with their current leadership and employee team of more than 400 people. Coborn’s will share processes, ideas and best practices to strengthen the entire family of stores.

“We know that we have found a good fit with Coborn’s,” said Jason Betchkal, owner of Marketplace Foods. “Our companies operate with similar values, focusing on appreciating our employees and serving our customers. It’s exciting to see the benefits that our stores will experience by being a part of a larger family company.”

Marketplace Foods was founded by Frank and Doris Betchkal 1977 in Hayward, Wis. Their son, Jason, was named president in 2011 and remains in that role.

Coborn’s Inc. is an employee-owned grocery retailer with 8,400 employees and 52 stores across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin under the Coborn’s, Cash Wise Foods and Save-A-Lot banners, along with  CobornsDelivers, an online grocery ordering and home delivery service; and stand-alone convenience, liquor, video and pharmacy locations.