SpartanNash Honors Independents At Annual Expo

Five independent retailers were honored by SpartanNash at the company’s annual Food Solutions Expo held in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

According to the company, the recipients honored during the SpartanNash Vision Awards and Impact Awards went “above and beyond” over the past year to deliver value to their communities. This year’s honorees are:

• Discount Drug Mart: The Medina, Ohio-based chain with 79 stores earned the We Serve Award by raising more than $400,000 to support charitable initiatives and community programs in 2024, including funds for Hurricane Helene and California wildfire relief efforts.
• Berens Market: This grocer earned the We Have Fun Award by bringing their Milbank, S.D. community together. Berens Market organized impactful – and fun – events for its hometown last year, holding produce truckload sales in the summer and outdoor frozen food sales in the winter.
• Harding’s Friendly Markets: With 28 locations across Michigan and Indiana, the retailer earned the We Create Solutions Award by launching a new digital platform in April 2025 in response to evolving guest needs. The team introduced a mobile app, digital coupons, a rewards program and weekly deals that transform the shopping experience and strengthen customer engagement.
• Neiman’s Family Market: The Michigan-based grocer took home the We Win Award for their impressive sales growth in 2025, with deli, bakery, meat, and private label sales all seeing double-digit increases. Neiman’s Family Market was also named The Shelby Report’s Exceptional Independent Award winner for its marketing and technology investments.
• Northland Foods: Last year, this northern Michigan-based grocer rolled out additional Our Family and other SpartanNash OwnBrands products at its two locations in northern Michigan, increasing private label sales by nearly 25% and earning them the Delivering the Ingredients for a Better Life Award. The stores are also deeply rooted in their community, sponsoring the Kalkaska Trout Festival annually.

“At SpartanNash, our vision is that we see a day when our customers will say, ‘I can’t live without them,’ and these five independent retailers embody that vision in their stores and in their communities,” said Amy McClellan, executive vice president and chief commercial officer with SpartanNash. “Across the country, independent grocers serve as critical food destinations where neighbors can connect, careers can grow, and family meals and traditions can be created.”

The annual Expo brought together nearly 2,000 grocery industry leaders to the DeVos Place Convention Center. SpartanNash showcased curated 2025 Consumer Taste Trends displays, highlighting the top food trends of the year, backed by flavor forecasts and consumer insights. The Expo concluded with a donation of leftover product to Feeding America West Michigan, equivalent to providing approximately 45,000 meals to local families in need.