Join Progressive Grocer’s Independent Grocer Network!

Progressive Grocer invites you to join the Independent Grocer Network (IGN), a custom social media platform we developed for independent grocers and wholesalers to discover and share actionable insights unique to their businesses from their strongest information resources – each other.

Members can gather with peers to share best practices, address real-world challenges, and engage in ongoing discussions with depth and breadth unavailable anywhere else.

“As an independent retailer, it’s invaluable to have a resource like the Independent Grocer Network,” said Don Fallon, general manager of Ring Bros. Marketplace, South Dennis, Mass. “We face extraordinary challenges not only in this economy but with ordinary day to day operations. The opinions and advice that a community of peers provides could save a retailer from making costly mistakes. And having a centralized resource where that knowledge is concentrated in one place would save time and resources –- two things independent grocers never have enough of.”

Here are just some of IGN’s features:

• Blogs: Every member of the Network can post blogs about topics and issues relevant to them and other members, from details of a store visit to comments about industry news.
• Discussion Forums: Members use the discussion forums to find solutions to their real-world problems, and seek the opinions and insights of their peers. For convenience the forums are segmented by topics such as technology, logistics, and nonfoods.
• Category and function-specific share groups: IGN’s groups contain their own blogs and discussion forums, enabling members to zero in on what is most relevant to them.
• Events Calendar: Comprehensive and detailed information on industry events at members' fingertips.
• Multimedia: Members can upload, search, and share relevant photos and videos.
• Member Profile Page: Each member can customize a profile page with details about their company and the roles they play in its success. The profile also posts references to your activity on the network, such as the posts and comments they contribute and which groups they belong to. The profile page helps retailers with similar interests connect with each other.

In coming months, IGN will begin hosting live moderated chats on a variety of topics, enabling members to discuss industry-specific topics in real-time.

“I have participated in many retailer/wholesaler round tables and share groups, and working with my peers on common interests and challenges creates a network of highly functional leaders to help solve even the most difficult of issues and stay up-to-date on grocery industry subjects,” said Mike Brown, general manager, retail technology, Unified Grocers, Commerce, Calif. “The Independent Grocer Network would provide a forum for such sharing, something that is lacking in the industry. What's more, it would be available 24/7, unlike in-person forums and events.”

“Most important,” Brown added, “it would be a platform that retailers and wholesalers can truly call their own, since we'd have the ability to add our own content and connect with those peers who share common interests.”

To join IGN, visit www.independentgrocernetwork.com, or contact

Joseph Tarnowski
Director of Integrated Media/Technology Editor, Progressive Grocer
(201) 855-7607, [email protected]