Ongoing investments in its people and technology allow 84 Lumber to maintain
its reputation for service and to grow with new offerings.
By Staci Davidson, Knighthouse Media
For the past two years, 84 Lumber has been named the Distributor of the Year by D.R. Horton. The largest homebuilder in the United States uses this award to recognize the supplier that best exemplifies a commitment to quality and outstanding service.
King’s Hawaiian introduces new barbecue sauces and plans to enter other food categories. By Kat Zeman
Most famous for its sweet bread, King’s Hawaiian has begun carving out new territories. The Torrance, Calif.-based company started selling barbecue sauces last year and plans to launch new Hawaiian food categories in the near future, as well as introduce other baked goods.
“We are not just a bread company,” President John T. Linehan declares. “We are a Hawaiian food company. Our goal is to create a global Hawaiian food category.”
King’s Hawaiian started rebranding itself in 2006 when it created a strategic plan, which it revised in 2015. In 2016, the company added four barbecue sauces to its portfolio: Original Sweet Pineapple, Smoked Bacon, Light Roasted Kona Coffee and Big Island Lava. This year, King’s Hawaiian will introduce its fifth flavor. Sweet Island Ginger is expected to hit the shelves in spring at major food retailers such as Kroger, Jewel, Target, Meijer and Mariano’s.
DeFehr Furniture refreshes its logo and livens up its website as it debuts new products
throughout the year and focuses on sharing its unique story.
By Janice Hoppe-Spiers, Knighthouse Media
DeFehr Furniture considers itself a rare breed when it comes to furniture manufacturers in that a majority of its raw materials are sourced from nearby Canadian forests and its case goods are built locally at its 400,000-square-foot facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Consumers throughout North America have enjoyed the company’s high-value, on-trend furniture for more than 70 years and three generations.
For more than 100 years, Sickles Market has provided quality goods and service
to its New Jersey community, while evolving to enhance its offering.
By Staci Davidson
When a business has been in place for four generations of a family and more than 100 years, it has a lot of chances to evolve and grow. Sickles Market takes pride in the changes it has made in its more than 110 years of business, but at the same time, it remains focused on an unparalleled selection of products and quality, outstanding customer service and a dedication to its community.
Honest Weight Food Cooperative has a triple bottom line of people, planet and profits.
By Mark Lawton
A group of like-minded people founded Honest Weight Food Co-op in Albany, N.Y., in 1976 but it wasn’t just to make money. “They formed a buying club based on their needs and beliefs,” Chief Cooperative Officer Rick Mausert says. By pooling funds, the founders were able to increase their buying power and access then-unusual natural foods.
LuckyVitamin expands to make the planet a healthier place for consumers.
By Mark Lawton, Knighthouse Media
In 1956, the grandfather of Sam Wolf started a pharmacy in Eagleville, Penn. In 1996, his father, who had taken over the business, turned it into a community health food store after reexamining his personal and professional priorities. “Due to changes in the pharmacy industry and some of my mother’s health issues, they questioned their lifestyle and products they were using and whether certain chemicals might have certain outcomes,” Wolf says.
Wolf, who has a knack for retail and technology, joined the family business after graduating from college. In 2005, he transformed it into an e-commerce business named LuckyVitamin.
Thrifty White Pharmacy thrives by focusing on positive relationships with communities.
By Alan Dorich, Knighthouse Media
For more than 135 years, Thrifty White Pharmacy has not only built locations across the rural Midwest, but also relationships with customers and healthcare providers. “We’ve been in these communities for a long time, providing great patient care,” COO Tim Weippert says.
Waters True Value is in its second century of business and still changing.
By Mark Lawton, Knighthouse Media
In 1894, G.E. Waters opened a general store in Manchester, Kan., after operating a hardware store for someone else. “I have an old newspaper ad,” says James “Jim” Waters, who is CEO and president of Waters True Value and the great-great-grandson of G.E. Waters. “It was a back-to-school ad for shoes for 25 cents or something like that.”
Retail Merchandiser Magazine
Cringleford Business Centre,
Intwood Road Cringleford,
Norwich, UK, NR6 4AU
+44 (0) 1603 274 130
Retail Merchandiser Magazine
Finelight Media,
207 E. Ohio Street Suite 351
Chicago, IL 60611