Fonds F0112 - Associated Grocers Ltd. fonds

Associated Grocers was established in the mid-1920s by a group of independent food retailers in southern Alberta to take advantage of volume buying. Some suppliers manufactured goods with the Associated Grocers label. After the Second World War the company was badly undercapitalized at a time when competition was strong. This resulted in a reorganization and recapitalization in 1953. A new warehouse was built at 10th Avenue and 18th Street SW in Calgary but was replaced in the 1960s. Various new subsidiaries also developed including Associated Store Fixtures, Walter Warehouse Food Market and Associated Produce. In 1970 the "Western Family" label was adopted and new shares were sold to improve capitalization. Six retail "Allwest" stores were opened in the 1970s but sold in 1985. In the mid-1980s Associated bought Kamloops-based Consolidated Grocers Ltd.