Houchens Food Group

This week, our President, Greg Rush, had the honor of leading a business showcase class for Western Kentucky University’s Society of Lifelong Learners. During his presentation, he shared the rich history of Houchens Industries, Inc., provided insights into Houchens Food Group, and discussed our mission, operations, and the vital relationship between our business and the communities we serve. WKU’s Society of Lifelong Learners is a member-driven organization that offers high-quality, intellectually stimulating educational experiences for individuals 50 and better. With nearly 50 members in attendance, Greg had the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations, answer insightful questions, and share how Houchens Industries and HFG continue to grow and make a positive impact in the communities we serve. We’re grateful for the chance to connect with lifelong learners and proud to share the story of Houchens Industries and Houchens Food Group!

Last week, HFG hosted the 2025 Spring & Summer Showcase, bringing together category managers, vendors, and store managers for an insightful and engaging event. Our teams worked closely with vendors to educate store managers on new products, consumer trends, cross-merchandising strategies, and basket-building techniques. The showcase provided our store teams with the opportunity to visit Bowling Green and explore a variety of merchandising opportunities for the spring and summer seasons. From pallets and shippers to endcaps and dump bins, the event highlighted innovative ways to optimize in-store displays. It also fostered valuable conversations, idea-sharing, and collaboration across our divisions. Additionally, our support teams connected directly with store operators—those on the front lines serving our communities every day. The marketing team shared upcoming quarterly materials, local social media support, and insights on our digital coupon program. Overall, the event was a tremendous success. A big thank you to our merchandising, support, and marketing teams, as well as our vendors and vendor partners, for their continued dedication to our stores. Greg Rush Craig Knies Jonathan Brown Misty Bryant Shannon Clark Jeff Anderson kevin stanford Armin Hadziomerovic, MA Stephanie Harris-Grant Ben Brownfield Kyle Wilson Steven Maresca Madeleine Wilson Sean Schulke John Livingston Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. Advantage Solutions Gladys Watson Ronnie Tillery TJ DeMarco Dairy Farmers of America Blackford Brokerage Inc Reese Group, Inc. Benjamin Brown Jason Chacon Melinda Drummond Brian Miller Craig Glassman Geri Wollmers Gary Davis David Phaup Matt McClelland Happy Egg Jim Hauskey Spring Creek Quail Farms Aaron Oosterhoff Stephen Posthuma

Greenwood Marketplace’s victory in the Coca-Cola display contest came with an incredible opportunity—to give back to the community. As part of their win, the store was able to select a charity for a donation, and they proudly chose Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Delta. This week, members of the Greenwood Marketplace team, alongside their distributor, Clark Bottling, had the honor of presenting the donation check to the organization. We couldn’t be prouder of the Greenwood Marketplace team for achieving this prestigious recognition and using it to support and uplift their community. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor!

Congratulations to our HFG Slim Chickens team on their incredible achievements at the?2025 Slim Chickens Conference?in?Las Vegas, Nevada!?Their hard work, dedication, and passion have earned them national recognition. We are proud to celebrate?four of our locations?for ranking in the?top 25 out of more than 300 locations?worldwide in?2024 sales performance.?This outstanding accomplishment is a testament to their leadership, commitment to excellence, and relentless drive for success. Here’s to another year of raising the bar and serving up Life-Changing Chicken!

On Thursday, February 27th, the State of Mississippi honored Greenwood Marketplace and Clark Beverage Group with a Resolution in recognition of their outstanding achievement—being awarded an official 2024 Olympic Torch by The Coca-Cola Company. The Olympic Torch was formally presented to the State Senate during their session in Jackson, Mississippi, celebrating the incredible accomplishment. Greenwood Marketplace first received the Olympic Torch on December 4th after competing against 10,000 stores worldwide for their Olympic-themed Coca-Cola product display. Their success was made possible through a strong collaboration with Clark Beverage Company, their dedicated distributor, resulting in this remarkable, award-winning display. Congratulations to Greenwood Marketplace and Clark Beverage Group on this prestigious recognition!

The celebrations continued Thursday in Clarksville, TN, with a special ribbon-cutting marking the Re-Grand Opening of their Priceless IGA! The store has been revitalized with fresh décor and updated branding, creating an enhanced shopping experience for customers. Shoppers enjoyed exclusive Re-Grand Opening deals and giveaways. Congratulations to the Clarksville team on this fantastic refresh, we can't wait to see the community enjoy their newly updated store!

Wednesday, we celebrated the Re-Grand Opening of our Campbellsville, KY, Priceless IGA location with a ribbon cutting. The store received a refresh of decor and branding. Customers lined up early to score a free bag of groceries and special sales. Congratulations to Campbellsville on your store refresh!

Congratulations to our Houchens Food Group winners at The National Grocers Association Show this week. Melissa Anderson, an IGA 2025 USA Retailer of the Year, was awarded the Retail Learning Institute People Development Award by IGA, INC. ? The Shelby Report recognized Melissa with its Exceptional Independents Award and Houchens Food Group as its Exceptional Independent Retail Organization. HFG Marketing and Merchandising team won NGA’s Creative Choice Award in the Dairy Category, and an Honorable Mention for Frozen Food. ? Our teams always look forward to the NGA show, where they can learn about consumer trends, industry innovations, and more.?

We are honored to be recognized by The Shelby Report as their Exceptional Independent Retail Organization! We are so grateful for their partnership in celebrating the heart and soul of our company—our incredible store managers—through the coverage of our inaugural Store Manager Appreciation Awards events in 2024. A huge and heartfelt thank you to Stephanie Reid for joining us as a guest speaker. Your words of encouragement and support added something special to our events, making them even more memorable for everyone involved. We deeply appreciate The Shelby Report for shining a spotlight on the dedication and passion that drive independent retailers like us. Here’s to a continued partnership and many more celebrations to come! #SMAAs #HouchensFoodGroup #HouchensHappenings #TheShelbyReport

Last week we celebrated our latest graduates of the Frontline Leadership Academy. Adding a third level of classes, in partnership with Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College, the Frontline Leadership Academy is a facilitated, interactive workshop created to foster concepts, habits, skills, and strategies for developing highly effective frontline leaders in the workplace. This program engages and motivates employees, equipping each with essential leadership tools to prepare for professional success. We are thrilled to invest back into our employee-owners to create effective leaders of the future.