Sponsored By

KeHE lands primary distribution pact with Allegiance Retail Services

Grocery cooperative eyes expanded offering of better-for-you products

Russell Redman

February 16, 2022

2 Min Read
KeHE_Distributors_truck-highway.png
Allegiance Retail Services said the distribution deal with KeHE will bring its retail members a bigger selection of natural, organic, fresh and specialty foods.KeHE Distributors

Grocery retail cooperative Allegiance Retail Services has tapped KeHE Distributors as its new primary distributor.

Terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed. Naperville, Ill.-based KeHE said Wednesday that it will bring Allegiance’s independent supermarket members an expanded product portfolio “at a significantly reduced cost,” especially a bigger selection of natural, organic, fresh and specialty foods. KeHE also will provide Allegiance members with a range of services, including data-driven market insights, store-level operational support, and sales, marketing and promotional support. 

“We are excited to pursue this partnership with KeHE Distributors,” Mike Conese, vice president of center store for Allegiance Retail Services, said in a statement. “Allegiance Retail Services chose to work with the leading distributor in natural, organic, specialty and fresh products because of their profound understanding of this business segment, deep knowledge of independent retail stores and expertise in trend analysis, which we believe will help us better serve our members.”

Overall, Iselin, N.J.-based Allegiance encompasses 28 members operating over 130 supermarkets in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania under the Foodtown, Freshtown Marketplace, D’Agostino, Gristedes, Pathmark, LaBella Marketplace, Brooklyn Harvest Market, Market Fresh, Big Deal Food Market, Green Way Markets and Food Basics banners. The company’s private brands include Foodtown, Green Way and Rancher’s Legend.

Related:KeHE expands distribution with Publix

Foodtown_storefront-evening.jpg

Allegiance has 28 independent grocery members operating over 130 supermarkets under nearly a dozen banners in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

KeHE noted that Allegiance has sharpened its focus on better-for-you product categories as more of its shoppers have embraced healthier lifestyles, and the new distribution partnership is expected to help further the grocery cooperative’s plan to grow that segment of its business.

“We are confident that KeHE can serve Allegiance Retail Service members with excellent service, value, and industry expertise,” according to Jennifer Mihajlov, vice president of Northeast, Southeast and Midwest independent sales at KeHE. “We are like-minded companies that share a commitment to optimizing the success of the independent grocer with first-to-market, highly-focused assortment, evolutionary marketing and merchandising expertise while maintaining individual banner identity.” 

An employee-owned, B Corp-certified company, KeHE supplies natural, organic, fresh and specialty food, groceries and other products to more than 30,000 natural food stores, supermarket chains, independent grocery stores, online retailers, retail pharmacies, convenience stores, foodservice providers and specialty retailers across North America.

Related:KeHE to open new distribution center in Arizona

Earlier this month, KeHE announced expanded distribution of natural and specialty products with Southeastern grocer Publix Super Markets. And in December, KeHE opened its 17th distribution center, a 500,000-square-foot facility in Goodyear, Ariz. The launch of the new DC, announced in October, followed the openings of a 377,000-square-foot DC in West Ellettsville, Ind., in November 2020 and a 550,000-square-foot DC in North East, Md., in October 2020.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

Stay up-to-date on the latest food retail news and trends
Subscribe to free eNewsletters from Supermarket News

You May Also Like