The National Supermarket Association, a trade association representing over 700 independently owned supermarkets, will open headquarters in downtown Providence, Rhode Island for its newly established New England chapter. The NSA is making its investment in Providence without any economic or tax incentives from the state or city.
Founded in 1989, the National Supermarket Association is a trade association representing the interests of independent grocery stores across the East Coast. Today’s announcement caps over eighteen months of discussions between Lieutenant Governor Matos and NSA leadership, during which the Lieutenant Governor has advocated for the selection of Rhode Island for NSA’s headquarters based on the state’s central location, competitive business costs, and rich talent pool.
Through membership with the NSA, grocery stores can access exclusive vendor programs, receive technical assistance, benefit from proactive and reduced-rate food safety inspections, and participate in other programs meant to reduce supply and administrative costs and keep their products affordable. Over 700 grocery stores from Massachusetts to Florida are already members of the NSA. Independent grocery stores create 3,000 jobs and over $420 million in annual sales in Rhode Island, and over $15 billion in annual sales across New England.
The NSA specializes in opening grocery stores in communities and neighborhoods which are underserved by traditional grocery chains. In Rhode Island, over one in four census tracts are designated as low income and low access to fresh food, and nearly half of all Rhode Islanders of color live in one of these neighborhoods. As part of its work in the region, the NSA will seek opportunities to eliminate food deserts by bringing locally owned grocery stores with affordable, nutritious, and culturally relevant food to these underserved areas.