IGA: Hometown Proud Supermarkets
September 2, 2023
IGA, Inc., is an American chain of grocery stores that operates in more than 41 countries.
IGA has 755 store locations in the United States.
The Independent Grocers Alliance, commonly referred to as IGA, was founded in the United States in 1926. The business operates as a franchise, with each store owned separately by the families that manage them. Many of the stores can be found in small-town markets.
Let’s go back to the beginning…
In May 1926, 100 independent retailers in Poughkeepsie, New York; and Sharon, Connecticut, organized themselves into a single marketing system. The group was led by Chicago accountant J. Frank Grimes who specialized in auditing the books of wholesale grocers. He singlehandedly built IGA into one of the most vital retailing forces in the nation.
By the end of its first year, the group had expanded to include more than 150 retailers. In 1930, over 8,000 grocery stores were using the IGA name. It now operates with 6,000 different locations worldwide.
Designed as a network for independent grocers, IGA provides store owners with the purchasing power they need to compete with large grocery chains.
The IGA management team provides marketing and access to a consistent supply chain.
In 1985, the 3,200 supermarkets affiliated with IGA generated total sales of $8.5 billion, making it the country’s fifth-largest retailing organization.
Today…
Today, communities across the U.S. are being served by second, third and even fourth-generation local IGA grocers.
As of 2023, there are 755 IGA store locations in 38 states and territories in the United States.
The Alliance oversees several resources shared among the member stores, including the IGA store brand products and the logistical network that distributes them. The Alliance also provides training and assessment programs as well as an online advertising platform.
President & CEO, IGA, Inc. John Ross, is responsible for domestic and global operations for IGA, the world’s largest independent supermarket network with nearly 6,000 IGA supermarkets in more than 30 countries worldwide.
Gloria Sauvé
Communications