Interestingly, in our model we also wholly own another subsidiary, The Grocery People, which provides goods and services to independents. In many of those communities, Federated Co-operative is supplying the total food input into that community, both at the independent store and the co-op store. It would be their only access to that wholesale; they cannot achieve purchasing from other wholesalers in those communities.
On July 26th, 2012. See this statement in context.