JIMMY WRIGHT NAMED 'GROCERY CHAMPION OF THE YEAR'
Owner of local grocery store, Wright’s Market, recognized at national summit
MONTGOMERY, Ala., June 25, 2024 – At the National Rural Grocery Summit, the Rural Grocery Initiative (RGI) named Jimmy Wright the 2024 Grocery Champion of the Year. This award recognizes Wright’s exceptional leadership and commitment to improving food access across the country.
Housed within K-State Research and Extension, RGI is dedicated to supporting rural grocery stores across the United States. As part of its mission, RGI hosts the biennial National Rural Grocery Summit, which celebrates the accomplishments of individuals like Wright. The 2024 summit, held June 24-25 in Montgomery, AL, was co-hosted with the Hunger Solutions Institute at Auburn University.
"We are thrilled to recognize Jimmy Wright as the 2024 Grocery Champion of the Year. His dedication to enhancing food access embodies the spirit of this award,” said Erica Blair, Program Manager with the Rural Grocery Initiative. “Jimmy's leadership and commitment serve as an inspiration to all who strive to strengthen rural communities through healthy food retail.”
Wright is widely recognized for pioneering transportation accessibility solutions and introducing the innovative online ordering platform, Wright2U. His commitment to improving food access extends beyond his store’s walls: in 2015, Wright partnered with Carver Neighborhood Market in South Atlanta to tackle significant challenges related to sourcing from wholesalers. He now coordinates weekly wholesale orders for Carver Neighborhood Market, ensuring a consistent supply chain despite being 90 miles from his store in Opelika.
In addition to these achievements, Wright serves as a consultant for the National Grocers Association, where he provides technical assistance related to nutrition incentives and online SNAP benefits. He actively advocates for independent grocers at the national level, using his expertise to shape policies that support community-driven food access solutions.
The 2024 National Rural Grocery Summit, where Wright was honored, convened over 250 stakeholders from across the county to explore innovative strategies for sustaining rural grocery stores and improving access to healthy food in rural communities.
For more information about the Rural Grocery Initiative and the National Rural Grocery Summit, visit www.ruralgrocery.org/.
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About the National Rural Grocery Summit:
The National Rural Grocery Summit is the premier networking and resource-sharing venue for independent grocers and rural food access stakeholders. The 2024 Summit was co-hosted by the Rural Grocery Initiative at Kansas State University and the Hunger Solutions Institute at Auburn University.