76 Years: United in Service Associated Food Stores, Inc., headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a cooperatively owned wholesale distributor to almost 500 independently owned supermarkets in eight states. Associated Food Stores not only delivers groceries to independent members, but enables them to compete against national chains and become exceptional, successful supermarkets.Associated Food Stores opened in 1940 when 34 independent retailers and Donald P. Lloyd, the president of the Utah Grocers Association, joined together to battle high supplier costs and competition from large chains. Each retailer contributed $300 and Associated Food Stores was born, changing the way independent retailers operated and prospered. Associated Food Stores continues to champion the success of independent retailers and is the only independent wholesale distributor headquartered in the Intermountain West.