Town & Country Markets, one of the largest independent food retailers in the state, recently announced it is beginning a new product procurement and marketing program designed to unify the company’s six stores and lower prices on selected products.

The move caused Town & Country to leave the Thriftway organization, a statewide marketing cooperative, ending a 45-year relationship. The company will remain a part of Associated Grocers, the large food wholesaler. Three of the company’s six stores were Thriftway’s, but the last Thriftway ad ran Aug. 28, according to Larry Nakata, Town & Country president and CEO.

All employees have received new clothing and a new logo will be used for the company’s store. The family owned company has three stores in Kitsap County — Central Market in Poulsbo, Poulsbo Market, and Town & Country Market on Bainbridge Island — affectionately called “the mother ship” by employees, and three more in King County.

“It was a tough choice to leave,” said Nakata. “But the growing creativity and enthusiasm in our company for our own marketing efforts and the unification of our six stores was impossible to ignore.”
According to Nakata, on Sept. 4, Town & Country stores began featuring in-store ads – “Big Board Buys” – that highlight half a dozen products chosen for freshness and high value.

The company has also begun an aggressive product procurement program for all six stores aimed at responsiveness to the wholesale market, quality and value, he said.

“We’re going to offer hot items inside the store instead of advertising in print or by direct mail,” Nakata stated. “We’re dropping all direct mail advertising for now. We think we can be more effective and we like the idea of reducing our paper use.”
Town & Country has a solid reputation for environmental concerns. Last year the company received its second “green” award from the Kitsap County commissioners for recycling and public education efforts in all three of its Kitsap stores.