Ric’s Food Market in Mount Pleasant and Park Street Market in Kalamazoo are independent grocers that have adapted to changes in the grocery business. Ric’s Food Center, a long-standing local grocery store in Mount Pleasant, serves a rural community in mid-Michigan. Park Street Market, established in Kalamazoo in 2010, provides fresh produce to an underserved urban neighborhood. Both stores play a key role in their communities by offering healthy food options, especially in areas with limited access to such foods.
The National Grocers Association reports that independent grocers in the U.S. make up a third of all grocery sales, totaling over $250 billion, and provide more than 1.1 million jobs. Despite being in a college town, less than 10% of Park Street Market’s customers are students. Ric’s in Mount Pleasant, located near Central Michigan University, has seen a 10% drop in its student customer base over the past decade.
Kiar Gamsho, manager of Park Street Market, believes that serving underserved communities gives them a competitive edge. However, independent grocers face challenges, particularly with order sizes and achieving supply and pricing benefits. To help with this, Michigan’s independent grocers can join the Grocers Fund, a group self-insurance fund established in 2014.