News Release

Kroger selects Dakota Growers Pasta Company as top grocery supplier

Carrington, N.D. ¾ Top supermarket retail chain, The Kroger Co., selected Dakota Growers Pasta Company as a Supplier of the Year in the dry grocery division. Dakota Growers supplies store brand dry pasta under the Kroger, Fred Meyer, Ralphs, First Choice, Heritage Farms, Smith's and FMV labels.

Dakota Growers was chosen based on their commitment to Kroger brands and high merits in quality assurance, category management and sales growth, industry knowledge, sales and service levels.

Mike Cunningham, key account sales manager for Dakota Growers, credits Kroger for their leadership in the competitive supermarket industry. "Kroger has aggressively pursued opportunities within the pasta category by strategically setting promotions and cross merchandising pasta with other grocery items."

As a key supplier, Dakota Growers excelled in its business execution as they seamlessly transferred new business from former suppliers and integrated new divisions into the Kroger system.

Dakota Growers Pasta Company, owned by more than 1,100 durum wheat farm families, began operations in 1993. It is the only pasta company in the world to grow its own No. 1 Hard Amber Durum wheat to ensure premium quality pasta from the field to the plate.