For The Greater Good

A second-generation couple, a cornfield, and a county fair auction that gives back: Meet Russ and Stephanie Burkholder of Burkholder's Country Market and hear how they built on Russ's father's legacy while creating their own culture of hometown generosity.

From an amusement park career to running the family store: Meet Kevin Bowman of Pride Family Market in Hanover, Indiana, whose quiet dedication to the community has earned his store 2026 IGA Retailer of the Year honors.

During this podcast interview with IGA CEO John Ross, hear how Wiggins, Mississippi's Piggly Wiggly Manager Matt Ladnier turned community roots and bold pricing moves into a Costco-beating sales story.

How does a family grocer built on love grow to 33 stores? Meet Mack McLamb of Carlie C's, whose parents started with a single country store in the 1960s. Hear how faith, discipline, and a culture of genuine care built one of IGA's most enduring family success stories.

IGA CEO John Ross talks with Ricky Dow, leader of a KJ's Market in Lake City, South Carolina, about the store's playful brand transformation, its deep community giving, and 41 years of grocery experience that earned him recognition as one of just nine U.S. Retailers of the Year.

IGA CEO John Ross talks with 2026 Retailer of the Year Kelly Gutzwiller of Versailles IGA about the leap of faith that led her to take over her family's store after her father's passing, and how community connection and a willingness to take risks have shaped her leadership.

IGA CEO John Ross visits with brothers Jacob and Jason Linnes of Orcas Island Market, fifth-generation owners of a remote island grocery store off the Washington coast, to discuss how meticulous care, deep product variety, and a clever community gift card program earned them recognition as Retailers of the Year.

IGA CEO John Ross sits down with 2026 IGA USA Retailer of the Year Brian McGregor to talk about running a 24-hour independent grocery store in the small logging town of St. Maries, Idaho, and how deep community roots and giving back have shaped its success.

Season 2: Homegrown Heroes
For the Greater Good comes home. After a first season spent inside the boardrooms of the world's top CPG companies, IGA President and CEO John Ross turns the mic toward the people who bring the grocery business to life every day: the independent retailer.
To mark IGA's 100th anniversary, this season features nine conversations with the 2026 IGA USA Retailers of the Year — store owners and operators uniquely nominated during our Centennial year for going above and beyond for their customers, their employees, and their towns. Each episode digs into what actually makes an independent grocery store thrive: the operational instincts, the community investment, the tough calls, and the stubborn optimism it takes to compete and win at the local level.
Across nine episodes, John sits down with retailers to talk about:
What's working — the merchandising, service, and operational choices driving results in their stores
Community impact — how they show up for the neighborhoods they serve, from local partnerships to everyday customer relationships
The real challenges — labor, supply chain, margins, and the pressures independent grocers face today
What's next — how they're evolving to meet changing shopper expectations while staying true to what makes them independent
Season 2 is a celebration of the entrepreneurs at the heart of IGA's first century — and a candid look at what it really takes to run a great grocery store.
In Season 2, Episode 1:
IGA CEO John Ross catches up with Jennifer and Tim Bosma, IGA USA 2026 Retailers of the Year from Fort Bragg and Mendocino, California, to talk about sustainability investments, employee empowerment, and creative community giving programs that have shaped their family store over the past 40 years.

American Egg Board President & CEO Emily Metz joins IGA CEO John Ross for the season two premiere of For the Greater Good, where Metz addresses the avian flu's impact on egg supply and pricing, along with strategies to meet consumer demand in a changing market.