From 1 Store to 10 Locations: Fresh Foods' Inspiring Rural Grocery Success Story | Live From SpartanNash

Omni Talk Retail

Meet Ben and Kerri Dishman, founders of Fresh Foods, who turned a $1 abandoned grocery store opportunity into a thriving 10-location chain across three states. Discover how they're serving rural communities, investing in technology like electronic shelf labels, and creating a family-friendly workplace culture that keeps employees and customers loyal.

🕒 TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - How Ben and Kerri met and the grocery store dream

2:07 - The $1 store opportunity in Gering, Nebraska

4:30 - What sets Fresh Foods apart from big box competitors

6:28 - Building customer loyalty through community involvement

8:16 - Business changes since 2012: employees, technology, COVID impact

9:32 - Hiring strategies: investing in high school workers

11:32 - Technology investments: ESLs and operational efficiency

Thanks to Simbe for making our Spartan Nash Conference coverage possible!

#IndependentGrocer #RuralRetail #FreshFoods #CommunityGrocery #FamilyBusiness #ElectronicShelfLabels #GroceryEntrepreneurship #SmallTownBusiness #RetailTechnology #EmployeeRetention



This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
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Meet Ben and Kerri Dishman, founders of Fresh Foods, who turned a $1 abandoned grocery store opportunity into a thriving 10-location chain across three states. Discover how they're serving rural communities, investing in technology like electronic shelf labels, and creating a family-friendly workplace culture that keeps employees and customers loyal.

🕒 TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - How Ben and Kerri met and the grocery store dream

2:07 - The $1 store opportunity in Gering, Nebraska

4:30 - What sets Fresh Foods apart from big box competitors

6:28 - Building customer loyalty through community involvement

8:16 - Business changes since 2012: employees, technology, COVID impact

9:32 - Hiring strategies: investing in high school workers

11:32 - Technology investments: ESLs and operational efficiency

Thanks to Simbe for making our Spartan Nash Conference coverage possible!

#IndependentGrocer #RuralRetail #FreshFoods #CommunityGrocery #FamilyBusiness #ElectronicShelfLabels #GroceryEntrepreneurship #SmallTownBusiness #RetailTechnology #EmployeeRetention



This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
2025-08-01 12 min Transcript 5 chapters
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Transcript

Introduction to Omnitalk Retail The Journey to Fresh Foods The Beginning of Fresh Foods The Impact of Community and Employee Loyalty Investing in Technology for the Future
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