Last updated on March 25th, 2021 at 07:23 pm
Associated Grocers Baton Rouge recently held its Spring Food Show at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, Louisiana, drawing more than 800 vendors, retail members and store representatives. The show’s theme was “Best Picks on Route 66.”
This year, the wholesaler recognized J.H. “Jay” Campbell Jr., former CEO and then executive chairman, on his retirement after 45 years of service. Musical entertainment from Phat Hat followed the presentation.
Highlights of the show included a professional “hula hoop lady, an ice cream social-themed Cake Challenge as well as classic cars. The show featured new items, merchandising ideas and current services available to Associated Grocers’ retailers. Many of the wholesaler’s private label brands, such as Shurfine, TopCare and Simply Done, were showcased at the event.
Associated Grocers’ semi-annual food show is held in the spring and fall and attracts retail members and their staff, local vendors and manufacturers. The evening before the show, the organization holds a kick-off cookout for vendors and retail members to enjoy a variety of south Louisiana favorites like crawfish, fried shrimp, fried fish, pastalaya and more.
Associated Grocers says its shows also offer it an opportunity to help the community with bulk food, product and floral donations. From this year’s spring show, Associated Grocers donated 13,200 pounds of food to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. The donation will provide 11,000 meals to the food bank’s service area. In addition, flowers from the event were donated to Gonzales and Baton Rouge area assisted living and nursing home facilities.
Associated Grocers serves more than 180 independent retailers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
