By Lauren DeVol
SpartanNash
In an effort to help local restaurants impacted by COVID-19, SpartanNash today announced it has launched an innovative pilot partnership with eight West Michigan restaurants. Each participating restaurant will create its patrons’ favorite menu items, which will be sold at select D&W Fresh Market, Family Fare, Forest Hills Foods and Ada Fresh Market locations. One hundred percent of the proceeds will be provided to the restaurants to help them remain strong during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participating restaurants include:
- Anna’s House
- Big O’s
- Cedar Springs Brewery
- City Built Brewery
- Donkey Taqueria
- Friesian Gastro Pub
- Osteria Rossa
- West Side Social
A complete list of restaurant menu items and the locations of the 25 pilot stores can be found at spartannash.com/restaurant-meals-to-go. The heat and serve meals will be located in the deli section of each participating D&W Fresh Market, Family Fare, Forest Hills Foods and Ada Fresh Market location.
“This is a win-win partnership for West Michiganders and local restaurants hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said EVP and Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer, Lori Raya. “Restaurants are bringing team members back to work, while families can enjoy some of their restaurant favorites, discover new ones, and help their local struggling restaurants. Together, we can and will build stronger communities through these local partnerships. For more than 100 years, our company has been headquartered here and a trusted provider of food, medicine, and essential household goods. Supporting our local communities, farmers and food producers has always been vitally important to us and drives our vision to be a best in class company that feels local, where relationships matter.”
On March 16, 2020, Michigan restaurants were ordered to temporarily close for all but take out service as a means of containing the spread of the coronavirus.
In developing the pilot program, SpartanNash’s retail, merchandising and marketing teams worked quickly to identify a diverse group of local restaurants that could transition to preparing heat and serve meals for purchase at the grocery store. SpartanNash’s quality assurance, food safety, legal, IT and corporate affairs teams provided guidance. West Michigan Tag and Label also came on board to work directly with the restaurants and donate the restaurant branded and ingredient labeling at no cost as a means of supporting participating local restaurants.
“Being in the food business – whether a grocery retailer, wholesaler, supplier or restaurant – we all have something in common: helping create an exceptional experience for the guests we serve,” said Raya. “Now, more than ever, we want to provide not only the financial support to our restaurants, but the emotional connectivity to some of West Michigan’s ‘must have’ menu options.”
For all of SpartanNash’s latest efforts around the coronavirus, visit: spartannash.com/spartannash-coronavirus-updates.
