Jerry Garland

Power 50 Ranking: 18 Title: President and CEO Company: Associated Wholesale Grocers Key Developments: Achieved record sales of $6.85 billion and acquired over 160 additional stores. What's Next: Increase number of client stores and building top-line sales while keeping costs low.

In March, Jerry Garland was named the new president and chief executive officer of Associated Wholesale Grocers, Kansas City, Kan. — and it has already been a busy transition. In May, when Affiliated Foods Southwest, Little Rock, Ark., closed down, Garland expanded AWG’s reach by acquiring some AFS assets, and servicing more than 87 retailers with 160 stores in the region.

“I’m convinced that AWG offers these new members the tools they need to compete effectively in their markets,” Garland told SN.

Despite the difficult economy, AWG achieved record sales of $6.85 billion this past year, a $1.08 billion increase over 2007. AWG’s year-end rebate was a record 2.55%, amounting to $136 million. And the company announced a 2-for-1 stock split. AWG’s stock price has risen for 37 consecutive years.

“AWG and our member retailers have fared well in this tough economy,” Garland said. “Same-store sales are slightly positive overall. Our retailers are doing a tremendous job of managing their business and meeting the needs of their customers. From a retail perspective, our No. 1 goal is helping our members build same-store sales increases.”

Garland is also continuing former President and CEO Gary Phillips’ work with IGA. “The partnership between AWG and IGA is stronger now than ever before,” Garland said. “AWG supplies over 110 IGA stores from our Nashville, Tenn., and Fort Worth, Texas distribution centers. In addition, AWG is proud to have won ‘The President’s Cut’ as IGA’s licensed distributor of the year for 2009.”

In the midst of all of this success, Garland was also recently elected to the Food Marketing Institute’s board of directors.

Garland credits the people of AWG for the company’s continued success. “I’m most proud of our people, who continue to provide our members with a low cost of goods,” he said. “Our total cost of wholesale operation, about 3.5%, is among the lowest in the grocery industry. And we distribute essentially all of our profits to those who generate them — our member retailers.”

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Homeland Employees Buy Chain From AWG
Dec 28, 2011, Supermarket News, By MARK HAMSTRA
OKLAHOMA CITY — A group of employees has acquired the corporate supermarkets that had been operated by Associated Wholesale Grocers of Kansas City, Kan., the companies said Wednesday.

2011 Power 50: No. 18 JERRY GARLAND
Jul 18, 2011, Supermarket News
President and CEO/Associated Wholesale Grocers KEY DEVELOPMENT: Private-label sales exceed $1 billion for the first time. WHAT'S NEXT: New distribution center under construction. Momentum was the theme of Associated Wholesale Grocers' 2010 annual report. The title was chosen to celebrate the Kansas City, Kan., grocery cooperative's record sales of $7.25 billion, up $200 million from the prior year.

SN's 2011 Power 50
Jul 18, 2011, Supermarket News
SN's 2011 Power 50: People (and The

July 18, 2011
Jul 18, 2011, Supermarket News - Subscribers Only

AWG Breaks Ground on La. Warehouse
Jun 30, 2011, Supermarket News, By SN STAFF
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Associated Wholesale Grocers here said Wednesday it has broken ground on its seventh full-line grocery distribution center — a 720,000-square-foot warehouse in Pearl River, La., 20 miles north of New Orleans, that will service retailers across the Deep South from Houston to Tallahassee and into Georgia.

Nutrition Keys Going on AWG Private Brands
Apr 04, 2011, Supermarket News, By SN STAFF
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Nutrition Keys will appear on the front of Best Choice and Always Save private-label products distributed by Associated Wholesale Grocers.

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