AWG's Best Choice Celebrates 40 Years
When Associated Wholesale Grocers launched its Best Choice own brand in 1985, the grocery cooperative did so with 360 products.
Today, as AWG celebrates the brand’s 40th anniversary, its member retailers have more than 3,300 Best Choice products from which to choose across a host of categories including center store, bakery, meat, seafood, non-foods, and more. All products in the line are sold with a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee.
“We’re proud to celebrate a brand that has been so crucial to AWG member retailers for 40 years,” said Tye Anthony, AWG’s chief merchandising and marketing officer. “Through promotions, digital coupons, category research, product innovation, and additional marketing support, we invest a great deal into Best Choice to ensure it continues helping AWG member retailers compete in the marketplace.”
Best Choice still includes some of the first products introduced in 1985, but the brand also focuses on innovation. In 2024, more than 200 products were launched under the brand in categories across the grocery store including center store, bakery, vitamins, general merchandise, and more.
Through category initiatives, vendor partnerships, and analytics from the AWG Partner Gateway (AWG’s information-sharing and data portal), company officials said Best Choice will strategically continue to evolve, including through the launch of new adjacent pet and baby brands, Pure Wonder by Best Choice and Hello World by Best Choice.
“Best Choice is the anchor of AWG Brands and quality is a non-negotiable,” said Emily Detwiler, vice president of AWG Brands. “All Best Choice products go through extensive testing before they are ever launched to AWG member retailers. These products also undergo annual third-party laboratory testing to ensure consistent quality standards.”
