Associated Wholesale Grocers Breaks Ground on New St.Cloud, Minnesota, Warehouse; David Smith and Barry Queen Discuss
KANSAS CITY, KS - To bolster the fresh offerings across its retail membership, Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) has announced a new fresh and frozen warehouse in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The wholesaler’s new, ultramodern warehouse is set to open Fall 2022, complementing the launch of the company’s Upper Midwest Division.
“As a retailer-owned cooperative, this new division is a direct investment solely for the benefit of our member retailers,” David Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer, said at the groundbreaking. “It will ultimately provide the products and support service to hundreds of independently owned supermarkets throughout the Upper Midwest region, saving them millions annually in freight and cost of goods, and [providing] better access to regional, Minnesotan, and local products.”
The new Upper Midwest Division will serve AWG member retailers across North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. According to a press release, AWG’s Upper Midwest Division will have over 650,000 square feet of warehouse space between the fresh and frozen warehouse and nearby ambient space to accommodate the full array of products desired by its member stores in the region.
As it announces this pivotal play, the company is already looking toward the future expansion of the fresh and frozen facility into a single state-of-the-art full-line distribution center with automated high-tech operations to match the division’s growth.
“This new division is totally reliant on our member retailers’ success and will bring about advantages they have never experienced before—lower freight cost, better product variety, and access to local products coupled with local support, both from AWG and our supplier partners,” said Barry Queen, Chairman of the Board.
To celebrate the expansion, AWG’s Board of Directors, management, and local teammates gathered to celebrate at the groundbreaking.
AndNowUKnow will keep a close watch to see how this recent move bolsters the produce department across the wholesaler’s retail network, so stay tuned.
