AWG breaks ground on Minnesota distribution center

KANSAS CITY, Kan., NOVEMBER 19, 2021 – Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG) officially commenced construction on its new fresh and frozen warehouse as part of the launch of its Upper Midwest Division with a groundbreaking ceremony in St. Cloud, Minn.

The advanced and ultramodern 330,000-square-foot warehouse is scheduled to open in Fall 2022. The event was kept small and included local AWG member retailers who will be served out of the new division, AWG’s board of directors, management, and local teammates.

The new Upper Midwest Division will serve AWG member retailers in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

[iframe width=”600″ height=”400″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/piO7QJgOoIk” title=”YouTube video player” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen]

Speaking at the groundbreaking, David Smith, AWG’s President and CEO, said:

“As a retailer-owned cooperative, this new division is a direct investment solely for the benefit of our member retailers. It will ultimately provide the products and support service to hundreds of independently owned supermarkets throughout the Upper Midwest region, saving them millions annually in freight and cost of goods, and provide better access to regional, Minnesotan, and local products.”

Between the fresh and frozen warehouse and nearby ambient space, AWG’s Upper Midwest Division will have over 650,000 square feet of warehouse space to accommodate the full array of products desired by AWG’s member stores in the region.

AWG is already looking to the future and the possibility of potential expansion of the fresh and frozen facility into a single state-of-the-art full-line distribution center with automated high-tech operations as the division grows.

Barry Queen, Chairman of the Board of AWG:

“This new division is totally reliant on our member retailers’ success and will bring about advantages they have never experienced before. Lower freight cost, better product variety, and access to local products coupled with local support, both from AWG and our supplier partners.”

Image sources are either licensed or customer-provided.