Certified Grocers was a food wholesaler cooperative based in California that served independent grocery stores and supermarkets in the western United States. Here is a timeline of the company’s history:

  • 1923: Certified Grocers is established as a cooperative of independent grocery stores in Los Angeles, California.
  • 1940s: Certified Grocers expands its operations throughout California and the western United States, opening multiple warehouses and distribution centers.
  • 1960s-1970s: Certified Grocers continues to expand its operations, offering a wide range of products and services to its member stores.
  • 1990s: Certified Grocers begins to face increasing competition from larger grocery wholesalers and retail chains. The company merges with another cooperative, AWG (Associated Wholesale Grocers), in 1998.
  • 2000s: AWG continues to operate Certified Grocers as a subsidiary, serving independent grocery stores and supermarkets in the western United States.

Certified Grocers in Hawaii:

Our family was involved as suppliers to Hawaiian Based Retailers since the 1960’s starting with being involved with the Kress and Woolworth stores and evolving to becoming Vice Presidents with Certified Grocers (supplied everyone from Foodland to Times Supermarkets as well most other Hawaiian based supermarket chains).  Certified Grocers is now UNFI.

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