Op-Ed: CGA Exec Speaks Out on Recycling

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Reprinted from Cal Matters
May 22, 2020

Making Grocery Stores a Recycling Center Seems Unthinkable in This Time of COVID-19

by Ron Fong, CGA President & CEO

The coronavirus crisis is teaching us much about our social infrastructure that we either didn’t know or took for granted.

We are learning, for instance, that our health care system is exactly that – a system that we all rely on, and one that can be overwhelmed by sudden stress.

We are learning that our front-line health care providers – nurses, physicians, first-responders, all manner of hospital and clinic workers – are heroes of the first order who put their well-being at risk to care for the sick and vulnerable.

And we are learning that our food-distribution system, of fundamental importance during a crisis, is strong and resilient. Farmers, food processing facilities, food distributors and grocers have stepped up to meet the demands of a worried public facing the uncertainty of sheltering in place.

To be sure, there have been instances of long lines and temporary shortages of certain items, but our food-distribution system is keeping up with demand. Deliveries of goods have been keeping pace, and grocers have been working overtime and hiring new workers to restock shelves.

Many of us are learning something that went mostly unnoticed before: that groceries are as important to our social infrastructure as roads, hospitals and fire stations. We need them to function smoothly to prevent social disruption.

It’s a lesson we need to keep in mind after this crisis passes.

With vigilance and broad public compliance with the safety measures public health experts have put forth, we can hope that the worst of the potential consequences will be averted. There is a long, uncertain road ahead, but this crisis will pass.

When that moment comes, policymakers in California can again turn their attention to issues that are important but far less urgent than a global pandemic.

Among them will be the abysmal state of recycling in California that is leading to a resurgence of plastics being discarded into the environment or buried in landfills. It has been accompanied by a decline in redemption rates of beverage containers, despite the 5- or 10-cent California Redemption Value that consumers pay for each beverage container they purchase.

The market for plastic waste plummeted in 2017 after China stopped accepting most shipments. Not only has that made it difficult or impossible to recycle such items as yogurt containers and packaging shells, but it has also dried up revenue for neighborhood recycling centers.

About half of those centers have closed in recent years, and the result has been predictable: recycling rates have fallen. For all containers, the state’s most recent report shows a redemption rate of 76% and trending downward.

number of ideas have been put forth in the Legislature to reduce plastic waste, including a phasing out of single-use plastic containers, requiring greater use of compostable materials and mandating higher amounts of recycled content in new containers in order to promote a more robust market for plastic waste.

All those ideas are ones that should be explored and refined.

But one idea that made little sense before seems absolutely unthinkable now – to complicate the mission of grocery stores by requiring them to also serve as recycling centers.

Grocers are in the business of providing food to people. Over the years, of course, that mission has also expanded to include providing necessary household supplies such as cleaning materials and, yes, toilet paper so that they are conveniently available.

Groceries don’t have the people or the space to handle the extra duty of processing containers for recycling, and the last thing anyone should be promoting is the notion of asking consumers to bring used, unsanitary materials into the very places they rely upon to provide a safe, secure food supply.

When we get past this extraordinary public health crisis, taking action to boost recycling in California will remain an important priority. Grocers will do their part in trying to help fashion solutions. But their primary role is now and should always remain to be dependable, resilient suppliers of food and household goods.

Californians depend on it.

Industry Mourns Passing of Lou Amen

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It is with great sorrow that we inform you of the passing of Louis A. Amen the founder of Super A Foods, Inc. Lou was known and loved by many and was a legend in the grocery industry. He served as CGA Chair in 1986 and was a strong supporter of both the Association and its Educational Foundation.

He passed away on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, at his home in Corona del Mar. He is survived by his wife Dorie, 7 children, 24 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.

Due to the Covid 19 regulations Lou’s memorial service will be limited to 10 close family members. The Amen family regrets to announce that the memorial service will be private.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests making memorial contributions to the California Grocers Association Educational Foundation. Reference: Lou Amen.

Thank you for the outpouring of love during this difficult time.

You can send or drop off contributions to:
Super A Foods, Inc.
c/o Renee Amen
7200 Dominion Circle
Commerce, CA 90040

Or

California Grocers Association Educational Foundation
c/o Lou Amen – Super A Foods
1005 12th Street, Suite 200
Sacramento, CA 95814
To donate: click here, or contact Brianne Page, CGAEF, at (916) 448-3545.

An Open Letter to Our Nation’s Retailers and Food Distributors

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Thank you! As much of our daily lives has changed in significant ways, you continue to serve in providing an essential function for all of us. What we once took for granted as normal routine, going to the grocery store, has fundamentally changed. You – retailers, your stores, and all team members throughout the food distribution system – are our heroes and we thank you!

Our California farmers, ranchers and farmworkers understand the challenge this crisis has delivered to our retailer partners: to manage adequate supply, maintain efficient distribution, and most of all provide a safe shopping environment for customers and employees. All of this has been accomplished with a level of care, service and dedication that makes us proud to be part of your supply chain.

We are thankful for the warehouse workers pulling double shifts, the truck drivers who are adding routes, the direct-to-customer services that are being offered, and the new outlets being created to provide food. We are grateful for retail employees in-store, delivery drivers, and those working at headquarters who have helped us adapt to a new way of life by providing a sense of order in these uncertain times.

California producers are here for you. Each harvest provides a brighter future, and together we will do what we’ve always done to provide healthy nutritious food ( and beautiful flowers) for your customers, our neighbors and communities across this state and nation.

We commend you for your ongoing efforts. Your work and service has been nothing less than world class.

With gratitude,

Karen Ross, Secretary
California Department of Food and Agriculture

Fong Appointed to Newsom Task Force

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Advisory group tasked to jump-start state’s economy

SACRAMENTO, CA (April 17, 2020) – California Governor Gavin Newsom today appointed California Grocers Association President and CEO Ron Fong to serve on his bi-partisan Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery, responsible with helping plan the state’s economic recovery following the financial calamity resulting from COVID-19.

“I am extremely honored to participate on this very impressive and diverse task force that gives the grocery industry a seat at the table as we work to get our state economy up and running again,” Fong said. California’s grocery industry is one of the state’s largest employers, employing more than 350,000 Californians.

“I look forward to collaborating with thought leaders from throughout California as we develop recommendations for both government and business to help revive our economy and guide the state back toward economic growth and recovery,” he added.

The 80-member task force is co-chaired by former U.S. presidential candidate and billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer and Gov. Newsom’s Chief of Staff Ann O’Leary, and includes representatives from business, labor, environment, social justice, state legislature and four former California governors.

“This is a tremendous honor for our industry to be represented on this task force,” said CGA chair Phil Miller, C&S Wholesale Grocers. “This pandemic has hit families and businesses in ways none of us could have ever imagined. Ron is uniquely positioned to add a valuable perspective as he represents California’s grocery Industry which sits squarely on the front lines of helping keep families feed and energized as we collectively navigate through this crisis.”

Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery Advisory Members

Gov. Newsom Press Release: Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery

Former CGA Chair Bob Parriott Passes Away

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From CGA President and CEO Ron Fong:

It is with sincere regret and deep sadness that I inform you of the passing of former CGA Chair and long-time independent grocer Bob Parriott, Twain Harte Market, who tragically died in a small aircraft accident February 5, 2020, near the Columbia, Calif. airport.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Linda, their children and grandchildren.

Details of the accident are limited, but it appears Bob and the pilot were the plane’s only occupants and both died in the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the crash.

Bob was instrumental in the merger of the California Independent Grocers Association with CGA in 2014 and served on the CGA Board of Directors Executive Committee – culminating with his year as Chair in 2018.

Bob was a true champion for the independent grocer which was reflected in his life and his work. He was a tremendous supporter of the Association and will be remembered for his leadership during the merger and his time on the Board.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Update: Public Safety Power Shutoffs

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PSPS Event – (Nov. 20, 2019)

Pacific Gas & Electric has issued a Public Safety Power Shutoff beginning Nov. 20 for an undetermined length of time. For a list of impacted communities, click here. If you live in impacted communities, PG&E will attempt to contact you via telephone, text and email.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Waivers for Out-of-State Power Generators

If you are obtaining a generator from outside of California, here is a summary of the requirements you need consider:

Because of the recent PSPS events, many businesses are working to secure backup generators, sometimes from out-of-state.

  • The engine to be used is certified to meet a California or federal emission control standard;
  • The owner or operator demonstrates that there is an immediate temporary need to operate the engine to help alleviate a threat to public health and safety that is the result of a reasonably unforeseen event, that is beyond the control of the owner or operator;
  • The owner or operator notifies CARB within 24 hours of commencing operation; and
  • The engine is operated only for duration of the Emergency Event, or up to 12 months, whichever comes first.

The link to the waiver Form 40 is:  https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2018-12/perp_form40.pdf

Please email the Form 40 notifications to: [email protected]

___________________________________________________________________________________

PSPS Warning – (Oct. 29, 2019)

Weather conditions, including potential fire risk, have been forecast that may impact electric service to portions of our service area. If a decision is made to turn off power, we expect to start turning off power for safety as outlined below. If you live in these communities, PG&E will attempt to contact you via telephone, text and email.

Outages (weather event plus restoration time) could last longer than 48 hours. For planning purposes, PG&E suggests customers prepare for outages that could last several days.

PSPS Warning – (Oct. 25, 2019)

Weather conditions, including potential fire risk, have been forecast that may impact electric service to portions of our service area. If a decision is made to turn off power, we expect to start turning off power for safety as outlined below. If you live in these communities, PG&E will attempt to contact you via telephone, text and email.

Outages (weather event plus restoration time) could last longer than 48 hours. For planning purposes, PG&E suggests customers prepare for outages that could last several days.

PSPS Warning – (Oct. 23, 2019)

PG&E has confirmed it will shut off power to portions of 17 counties, including some in the Sierra Foothills, North Bay, San Mateo and Kern Counties, Oct. 23, due to necessary gusting winds and the threat of a major wildfire.

The shutoff is expected to impact approximately 179,000 customers in 17 counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Kern, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, San Mateo, Sierra, Sonoma, Tehama and Yuba.

For a list of impacted customer counts and cities per county, see www.pge.com/pspsupdates.

Timeline for safety shutoffs:

  • The shutoffs are expected to begin around 2 p.m. in the Sierra Foothills, 3 p.m. in the North Bay counties, and approximately 1 a.m. Thursday in affected areas of San Mateo and Kern counties.
  • Forecasts indicate the peak period of winds should end about noon Thursday in the Sierra Foothills, North Bay and San Mateo County, and around noon Friday in Kern County.
  • Once the high winds subside, PG&E will inspect the de-energized lines to ensure they were not damaged during the wind event, and then restore power. PG&E will safely restore power in stages as quickly as possible, with the goal of restoring the vast majority of customers within 48 hours after the weather has passed.

Find more information about how to prepare for a shutdown.

How Independent Grocers Can Finish First in 2019

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By Jessica Dumont

If there is one thing that Kevin Davis has learned in his more than 20 years leading Bristol Farms, it’s that finding a niche has helped the independent grocery company out-execute major chains.

Davis, formerly President & CEO of Bristol Farms and now special advisor to the board, takes pride in carrying thousands of distinctive food and beverage items that big-name grocers can’t get their hands on.

“If you succeed in differentiating your store to your customers so that they understand why they’re shopping there, and they get a different quality or service – something that’s unique and different, you will be a survivor,” Davis says. “If you’re trying to beat the big guys at their game, you have a hard road. The more unique, different and special you are, the longer you can survive and the more you can do.”

With a product assortment that is local, fresh and specially curated, Bristol Farms stands out as one of the most popular stores in Southern California and one of the most successful independent grocers in the state. But even as it thrives, there are still a number of challenges in operating an independent grocery store in today’s evolving industry.

As most independent operators are all too aware, business has changed dramatically in recent years, especially with the rise of e-commerce and the continued growth of giants like Amazon and Walmart and newcomers like Aldi. This has, without question, caused new challenges and created more competition for independent grocers. But it has also created an opportunity for them to stand out and offer something that shoppers cannot get from retail behemoths or international grocery chains.

“This industry has always experienced a lot of change,” says retail food industry consultant Michael Sansolo.

“The competitive landscape keeps changing, and the consumers’ needs and wants keep changing. The difference today is the enormity of the change and the speed of the change.”

Fortunately, independent grocers have the flexibility to adapt well and respond quickly to change, according to Peter Larkin, president of the National Grocers Association (NGA), which represents more than 1,400 retail members and about 8,000 storefronts across the country.

“One word I would use to describe their advantage is speed. I like to say that the independent operators that I know and have worked with over the years can make decisions quickly and turn on a dime,” Larkin says. 

Regardless of the change, independent grocery stores can make adjustments or sweeping overhauls without going through a bureaucracy, Larkin says, and this will help them get ahead of their competitors much faster. 

Kevin Coupe, the “Content Guy” for MorningNewsBeat.com, agrees. He says there are some great independent retailers who are independent precisely because they know they need to be competitive, and yet they’ve decided they’re going to play their own game. “The worst thing you can do is play somebody else’s game and play by their rules,” Coupe says.

There are independent grocers that stand out to Coupe because they have a specific value proposition, such as Bristol Farms and Gelson’s Markets in Southern California, Mollie Stone’s Markets in the San Francisco Bay Area and New Seasons Market in the Pacific Northwest. But these retailers also understand that they may need to make changes from time to time to create something completely different.

Making E-Commerce Work

Perhaps the most triggering buzzword today when it comes to grocery is e-commerce. According to research from Nielsen and the Food Marketing Institute, 70 percent of consumers will be grocery shopping online within the next five to seven years.

“Our industry has always relied on technology to help us be more efficient and more cost-effective,” Larkin says. “Now we have technology that is also consumer-facing. Our members are looking at what direction they should take regarding e-commerce, as well as other technology that will help them be more efficient and effective in driving costs down.”

Larkin says a big part of the e-commerce challenge is the competing technologies that exist, which make it difficult for independent retailers to figure out which one they need and how much they should invest.

Coupe says independent grocers have to figure e-commerce out, but they also have to resist simply turning to a company like Instacart to fulfill their e-commerce needs.

“They get all your shopper data and they’ll compete with you,” Coupe says. Instead, he encourages companies to be diligent in finding a way to do e-commerce that works for them.

Harmons, a fourth-generation family-owned grocery business based in Salt Lake City, Utah, is one company that has figured out an e-commerce format that is tailored to its needs and customers. Harmons just marked one year of e-commerce offerings for several of its 19 stores.

“That was an interesting challenge for us because we grew up as a brick-and-mortar business,” says Lindee Nance, vice president of marketing for Harmons. “Because we’re family-owned and not as large as these other chains, it took us a while [to launch e-commerce].”

Harmons’ e-commerce service is called eShop, and it features about 33,000 items that customers can purchase online. Once a customer places an order, a personal shopper, employed by Harmons, will fulfill the order in store and communicate with customers by text as needed. Personal shoppers will use text and picture messages to ask the customer about replacements or substitutions for out-of-stock items as well as preferences – such as how ripe their bananas should be.

eShop orders can be picked up in store, and Nance says Harmons recently partnered with Shipt to begin offering last-mile delivery. Harmons has chosen not to hire Shipt for personal shopping and instead plans to keep that feature in-house.

“What makes our online service unique is the customer service aspect, and we want to maintain that, so we didn’t want to outsource personal shopping to Shipt,” Nance says.

Customers have responded very well to Harmons’ e-commerce offerings, and last year Harmons was able to achieve its goal of ending the year with 3 percent of eShop stores’ total sales coming from online orders. Customers who use the service still do about 60 percent of their shopping in-store, Nance says, but they use the online service for repeat purchases and “stock-up” shopping trips.

With the rise of e-commerce, the traditional strengths of retail are becoming less important, Sansolo says. “Things like location, which used to be so important, don’t matter as much. We can order anything from where we are. These traditional strengths of retail are challenging the industry to find new ways of appealing to especially younger consumers who can have things done for them.”

Standing Out from Competition

Another significant challenge for independent operators today is increased competition, which changes daily. Larkin says that is not just the number of competitors that independent grocers face, but the nature of the competition and how it has changed over the years.

“It used to be that supermarket operators would name another supermarket as their competition. Now, you have so many different places that are selling food and grocery items that it’s more difficult to pinpoint who your competitors are,” Larkin says. For example, big-box discounters like Walmart and Target are now in the grocery business, as well as dollar stores and convenience stores.

“There are more competitors, and independents have a hard time determining who their fiercest competitors are and how they need to change to keep their customers,” Larkin says.

For Harmons, which was founded as a fruit stand in 1932, competition drove the company to reinvent itself several years ago when Walmart came to Utah for the first time. In the early 2000s, this led the company to move from price competition to fresher food offerings, which were not widely available at other grocery chains.

“We started out as a price operator in Utah, but in order to stay in business we’ve had to shift our focus,” Nance says. “You have to decide who you’re going to be and stay true to it, and that’s really been an effective approach for us. It can be risky to move away from the price message, but if we’d tried to compete on that we’d have raced to the bottom.”

Since then, Harmons has stood out largely for its fresh food and local offerings – including artisan bread baked in stores and fresh meal solutions, as well as a lineup of products shoppers won’t find in other supermarkets nearby, such as Kroger or Whole Foods, which Nance says are Harmons’ closest competitors. Today, Harmons carries more than 2,300 local-to-Utah products.

Based in Los Angeles County, Bristol Farms has also pursued fresh foods and unique product offerings to stand out from larger grocery chains. Bristol Farms was founded by two partners in 1982 as a specialty butcher shop and grocery store. Today the company operates 26 stores under three banners including Bristol Farms, Lazy Acres Natural Food stores and the recently acquired Metropolitan Markets, which operates in Seattle, Washington. Until recently, the company was owned by a private equity firm, but due to an unsolicited offer from Korean retail conglomerate Shinsegae – which owns retail giant E-mart in South Korea – the company has changed hands and will now operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of E-mart.

Notwithstanding its success that attracted a massive international buyer, Bristol Farms is among the most popular and high-performing independent grocers in California.

The average Bristol Farms store is about 29,000 square feet, and while it offers mainstream brands and goods that shoppers recognize – such as French’s mustard and Bush’s baked beans – Davis says the stores’ unique specialty items are its focus. The banner also has a central kitchen where it makes more than 600 fresh items and ships them to stores.


“We’re not commodity-driven,” Davis says. “We’re specialty, unique, fresh, organic and natural-foods driven. Our foodservice department is bigger than our grocery department.”


Bristol Farms and Harmons both exemplify how independent operators can take advantage of their opportunities to stand out from larger grocery chains by offering something that others cannot do as easily, or as well.

“A lot of independents’ ability to focus on customer service, to know their customers, to curate local products in their store better than Amazon and Walmart can do, or even Kroger or Safeway or Albertsons – that’s where they have the advantage,” says Larkin. “It’s not keeping up with those companies. It’s understanding and responding to the needs of their own consumers.”

The Resource Challenge

For most independent grocery businesses, resources – both human and financial – are ever-present challenges, and making money and resources work takes constant inventive thinking.

“It’s really hard to compete today in this environment when Amazon has never-ending supply of money,” Coupe says. “Margins are tight, and people are getting squeezed from the bottom and the top. It’s very difficult to find the resources to compete.” He suggests that independent grocers keep their prices sharp and do what they have to make their stores compelling, relevant and resonant to their shoppers.

Nance with Harmons says the bottom line is always a challenge, especially as the cost of goods continues to go up. At Harmons, that means the team has to be creative to make sure the margins are right and to keep business running smoothly – but also to stay true to the company’s core values.

“As costs increase, we want to be competitive in the market with our prices – but we also want to offer competitive compensation and care for our associates. It’s one of our main values,” Nance says.

Davis notes that Bristol Farms’ major challenge is finding and retaining employees. California’s minimum wage laws have created a labor market where employees have a shorter term view of their employment, rather than entering the grocery business with a career orientation.

“You have to look long term at who you’re hiring and you have to train and develop them so that they can see their path to success, so that they can see their growth beyond their starting job,” Davis says. To help with this, Bristol Farms will pay half of an employee’s tuition at a community college for any employee who wants to complete the Western Association of Food Chains’ retail management certificate program, an accredited eight-course program available at many California community colleges.

As for e-commerce, Davis doesn’t view it as much of an issue. “We offer home delivery and we always have,” Davis says. “It is growing and the competition, like anything else, is growing with Amazon and Whole Foods and everyone focusing more on it. But it’s a subset of our business. It’s not the majority of our business, and it never will be.”

How to Win as an Independent Grocer

Despite the ups and downs that many independent grocery companies face, there is plenty of room for independents to operate alongside major supermarket chains. But independents may have to work a little harder and invest a little smarter to stand out. 

There is a fear in the industry that the traditional grocer is becoming irrelevant to the shopper and the future, Sansolo says. To remain relevant today, retailers can no longer rest on their old strengths. Rather, they need to focus on delivering an experience for shoppers, being resourceful and activating allies.

“How do you build a shopping experience that convinces people to get up, stop using Alexa or Siri, and come to the store? Independent operators are going to need to become much more creative, more flexible,” Sansolo says. That includes having a good supply chain, good products and well-trained people, but more than that, retailers need to create excitement and they need to create an experience, he says.

One way Harmons draws people into stores is through its cooking schools, where customers can sign up for a cooking class focused on a special cuisine.

“These are fully-loaded culinary programs that we have staffed with full-time chefs and sous chefs, and our customers love it,” Nance says. “They love to come in and learn how to cook something they wouldn’t normally try.”

Larkin says he is “bullish” on the future of independents, especially companies in California like Cardiff Seaside Market, Mollie Stone’s, Bristol Farms and Draeger’s Market who really understand what their customers want. That doesn’t diminish the fact that there is tough competition, and some will go out of business, but Larkin says many independents have invested and are very successful. And the demise of some small grocery stores may benefit stronger competitors.

“There are many independents buying other independents. They are growing because some of their colleagues are getting out,” Larkin says. 

Another winning strategy, according to Coupe, is for grocers to offer click-and-collect as part of their e-commerce capabilities. “I would always encourage small retailers to do click-and-collect before they do delivery – customers want it more,” Coupe says.

This may be a daunting era to operate a grocery business, no matter what size or ownership structure a company has, but the future is bright for independent operators. Harmons, for example, is planning to open its 20th location in 2020, and is always scouting for more locations due to customer demand.

“With every store we build, we try to get just a little bit better. Our team is constantly look at processes – we always say we’re the best at getting better. We don’t want to say we’re the best and rest on our laurels,” Nance says.

For those who are committed to their success and their customers, there are plenty of ways to stand out and to attract shoppers who want something different, memorable and local. It will take hard work and innovation, but as most independent operators know, that’s just par for the course.

This in-depth report originally appeared in the 2019, Issue 1 of California Grocer magazine. Read more from this issue.

CGA Launches New Website

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Situational Information Report – Camp Fire

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Notice: The information in this report is subject to change and the situation may have evolved since the sending of this report.

Event: Camp Fire, Butte County

Acres Burned: 70,000
Containment: 5%

Zip Codes in the Area:  95916, 95926, 95928, 95929, 95938, 95940, 95942, 95954, 95965, 95967, 95969, 95973, 95976, 95978

Critical Infrastructure Impacted: Power, Gas, Communications, Water

Highways Impacted: 32, 70, 99, 191

Structures Threatened: 17,000

FULL REPORT: 2018.11.09 Sit Rep Camp Fire

2018 CGAEF So. California Golf Classic

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Grocery retailers and their supplier partners from throughout the Southland and beyond gathered at the beautiful Monarch Beach Golf Links in Dana Point, Calif., for a day of networking and golf as part of the 2018 CGA Educational Foundation Southern California Golf Classic on Wednesday, July 18.

Near perfect weather greeted the field of more than 120 golfers playing in this year’s tournament. Proceeds from this and the Foundation’s Northern California Golf Classic (July 31) help fund CGAEF’s college scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs.

“Our tournaments are fantastic opportunities to help fund our two main giving programs, network with industry peers and play golf at one of Southern California’s most beautiful courses,” said CGA President & CEO Ron Fong, who also serves as CGA Educational Foundation President. “The Foundation is extremely appreciative of the many companies that sponsored today’s tournament. Your support helps deserving college students of all ages fulfill their educational goals.”

In addition to near-perfect weather, the field of more than 100 golfers was well-fed throughout the day starting with a hearty breakfast provided by The Illuminators. Congratulations to this year’s winning foursomes. Scroll below for a list of winners, sponsors, and photos from this year’s event.


Winners

1st Place
Jim Schulz
Dale Stern
Michael Woolery

2nd Place
Jim Amen
Jordan Francis
Jeffrey Tedmori
Joanne Tedmori

3rd Place
Jacquie Slobom
JackPolakow
Tim Mahoney
Ron Johnson


SPONSORS

Masters Level
Anheuser-Busch InBev
Bimbo Bakeries USA
Chobani, Inc.
Hidden Villa Ranch
Jelly Belly Candy Company
Kellogg Company
The Kraft Heinz Company
Mondelez International
Moss Adams
PepsiCo
Post Consumer Brands
Procter & Gamble
SUPERVALU West Region

Package Level
Albertsons Vons Pavilions
C&S Wholesale Grocers
Certified Federal Credit Union
Classic Wines of CA
Gallo Wine Company
Gelson’s Markets
The Hershey Company
Kimberly Clark Corporation
Kirkley Corporation
MillerCoors
Super A Foods

Hole Sponsors
Dragos Cantina
Key Mechanical
Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling LLC
TruGrocer Federal Credit Union

Hole in One Sponsor
Zenith Insurance Company

Golf Ball Challenge
Retail Marketing Services, Inc.

Breakfast Sponsor
The Illuminators

Lunch Sponsor
Bristol Farms
RATIONAL USA, Inc.