INFRA Blogs

Pat Sheridan, INFRA President & CEO

Normally when I write my letter for this edition of the newsletter, we’re deep in the midst of winter here in Minnesota. Several inches of snow, wind chill still a reality, and slippery roads and sidewalks a daily part of life. But not this year. This year it’s almost 70 degrees. We’ve experienced a non-winter, the seasonal change not so obvious. And that’s about right for what we’re experiencing at INFRA. We didn’t hibernate this Winter to prepare for new growth in the Spring. We just kept going, we just kept growing.

When I say “we” I don’t just mean the INFRA team. I mean INFRA members individually, and collectively. The majority of INFRA members grew at a rate that outpaced inflation in 2023. Based on data from our partners at SPINS, INFRA members collectively outperformed the Natural Channel, the Regional Independent Channel, and the Multi-Unit Channel in same store sales dollar and unit growth in 2023 for the first time ever. That is something to celebrate! What does it mean? I believe it means that there is strength in our growing community, while our members maintain their strong and independent connections at every store location in the communities they serve. I believe it means that consumers care more than ever about the quality and source of the food they consume, but more importantly, about where they buy it. What we put in and on our bodies is personal, and while eCommerce, large format stores, and same day delivery are convenient, they are anything but personal. No other retailer can connect to community like an independent. In 2023 the INFRA Board adopted a new 5-year Vision Statement that reiterates INFRA’s support of that.

We see a future where independent natural food retailers are thriving at the heart of every community, strengthening their local economies, and committed to making healthy, sustainable food accessible to all.

This statement solidified our commitment to communities across the country and set the stage for our continued growth. And grow we did. We welcomed 48 new members in 2023, increasing our membership numbers to 348, our 3rd year of record growth, bringing us to $2.7 Billion in representative sales dollars. Why is this important? It allows us to strengthen our already strong distribution, brand, and industry relationships, and opens the door to many others, resulting in new and expanded programs for our members. Programs directed at reducing costs and attracting customers, bolstering member financial health, and helping to keep valuable assets in almost 600 communities across the country.

In 2023 we launched our INFRA Everyday EDLP program in partnership with KeHE’s CADIA brand. It was the single most successful programmatic launch in INFRA’s history with almost 300 participating Member stores. Results in the first 9 months are promising and have shown to grow sales at many INFRA member stores. To paraphrase one member, the program is a game changer for my community, providing access to much needed affordable organic food for the first time.

In 2023 we continued the buildout of our Member Success field team. This team is comprised of 6 regional merchandising and promotional experts who will spend most of their time in member store helping them, advising them, and providing access to tips and tools, all to make our already successful members even more so.

And in 2023 we celebrated our first INFRA Annual Conference back in St. Paul with our largest attended event yet. We celebrated in typical INFRA fashion, with almost 1,000 people from the natural food industry in attendance for inspiring keynotes, education sessions, and a tabletop event that included 300 exhibitors.

I’m proud of what our INFRA community has achieved across the country and look forward to what we all will bring in 2024, because, like our Winter, we don’t plan on resting here at the INFRA offices, we have too many exciting plans. I look forward to celebrating with many of you at upcoming shows, at your stores, and at the INFRA Annual Conference in July!

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