Meijer announces first Sustainability Supplier Summit

Grand Rapids, Mich.-based grocery chain Meijer has announced its first Sustainability Supplier Summit in an effort to find new items for its own brand collections.

The event will be held virtually June 20-23 in partnership with ECRM and RangeMe, who have worked with a number of other retailers to host supplier summits, most recently Hy-Vee and Wakefern. Meijer merchants are targeting 38 different certifications for new products or their manufacturing and procurement processes, including Best Aquaculture Practices, Ecologo certifications and Rainforest Alliance Certified items.

"At Meijer, we understand that to be a good company, we must be a good neighbor, which is why we integrate environmental sustainability into our daily operations," said Peter Whitsett, Meijer EVP of merchandising and marketing. "But so much of what we do in this space extends beyond what customers see on our shelves, which was why we felt it was time to seek out sustainability-focused vendors to help us expand our significant base of sustainable product offerings."  

Certified vendors with retail-ready products can apply by Tuesday, April 26 for consideration here.

"We know an increasing number of consumers are shopping consciously to live a more sustainable lifestyle, which filters down to their pets," said Katy Petzak, dog supplies merchant at Meijer. "We've made great strides to carry the products our customers are looking for to meet their lifestyles, and while we are doing great in the sustainability space, we are optimistic this event will be a success."

Meijer operates more than 258 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.