Associated Food Stores is expanding its warehouse assortment as part of Project ROAR, a major initiative to bring more efficiency and variety to its retail members.
With the added efficiencies of the Symbotic system in the Farr West distribution center, the center store category management team has been tasked with onboarding approximately 2,000 new items by the end of 2026. So far, about 400 items have been added.
“This expansion enables us to offer greater variety, smarter choices and a more enriching experience for our retailers,” said Lon Herget, director of grocery for AFS. “From niche local brands to trending international products, to Exclusive Brands, we’re seeing strong demand for more diverse and exciting assortments on retail shelves.”
Much of the expansion will emphasize specialty products previously cross-docked through KeHE, along with an expanded selection of authentic Hispanic offerings, a segment that continues to show significant growth across AFS’s service area.
The additions are being integrated through the traditional new-item process and reflected in-store planograms. To support retailers, AFS has transitioned its reference guide from a static PDF to a dynamic SharePoint list. The list is available on StoreLink. The updated guide includes clickable AFS item numbers, product images and filtering tools that allow retailers to sort, search and export lists for easier planning. Retailers can also enlarge images for quicker identification, making the tool more interactive and user-friendly as they manage new items.
“We’re genuinely excited about every new item and brand entering our warehouse,” Lon said. “Each product has been selected for its potential to deliver better store costs, improved ordering efficiency and streamlined retail deliveries. Many of these brands are trending, growing and directly requested by consumers.”
As part of Project ROAR, these new items reflect AFS’s commitment to respond to consumer demand, optimize AFS’ assortment, adapt to market trends and refine the shopping experience for retailers and their guests.