Our History

The business of food

When Christy Spoa got out of the U.S. Army in 1957, he headed back to the family’s grocery store in Ellwood City. As a 100-year-old, family-owned community business, every day was different.

“As an independent particularly, as a single store operator, you wore a lot of hats. You might be dealing with the insurance agent in the morning, a buyer in the afternoon and some type of maintenance issue later on,” Spoa said.

“Being in an association, you had an opportunity to learn from others’ experiences. We all had the same issues, maybe in a little different way, but they were basically all the same. For me, it was an education.”

Spoa joined the PFMA Board of Directors in 1987 and was elected chair in 1993. Through his involvement, he realized the importance of his voice as an independent grocer. He had never been to Harrisburg or Washington, D.C., but quickly learned the impact he could make on legislators.

“There was no voice for the independent operator,” he said. “Most of us at that time thought the only people who had a voice were the large chains. And when you talked to the large chains, they were actually glad that the independents were getting involved, because they felt it was a necessary part of the equation.”

Scott Hartman, president and CEO of Rutter’s Holdings, Inc., joined the PFMA Board of Directors in 1999, serving as chair from 2007 to 2008. His father, Stewart Hartman, was board chair from 1995 to 1997.

“This year is 275 years with our farm, 101 years with our dairy and 52 with our convenience store. We’ve been in the food industry a lot of different ways for a lot of years, and Pennsylvania Food Merchants kind of sums it up—that’s what we do,” Hartman said.

Hartman’s board experience allowed him to lead, learn from and exchange ideas with other retailers and suppliers in the industry. “The good thing is, the people in convenience and grocery, for the most part, share, so it was a good opportunity to hear what other people are doing, hear what their concerns are and shape some of the issues of the day.”

While chair, one of Hartman’s priorities was improving technology. Websites and apps were new, and it took time to convince businesses to embrace them. “I remember doing the interviews with various industry magazines saying, ‘Explain what a website is, and why would anyone in the convenience store industry want one?’”

Over the years, Spoa helped to incorporate wholesalers into the association. He worked with the board to tackle food stamp and coupon chargeback issues. Hartman helped to establish and grow the PFMA Thomas R. and Laura Ridge Scholarship. He also focused on evolving PFMA into a self-sustaining association supported through member dues.

The association has expanded in diversity, reach and impact through its history, working to improve and advance the priorities of the food industry in Pennsylvania, Baloga said. PFMA now supports retailers, wholesalers, small and large distributors, CPG companies, suppliers and others working through the food chain in the commonwealth.

Strength in numbers

Whether attending a conference in Chicago or rallying with other associations in D.C., Spoa discovered a large, unified voice through PFMA. The association often organized a “day on the hill” for food retailers to gather and speak with legislators on timely issues.

“We’d all go in mass. Instead of two of us showing up, it was 25 of us showing up—it was strength in numbers,” Spoa said. I had no experience. I didn’t think they really cared about a single store operator, but I found out that they did, and the same in D.C. We all had a purpose, and we all knew what the issue was.”

PFMA comprises everything from single-store mom and pop shops to multinational companies. The association provides the same benefits and support to every member, Baloga said.

“We only succeed as a group. The food industry is very interconnected, very interdependent, because everyone goes there, so we’re all facing the same issues,” he said. “That’s become even more apparent over the years as the channels have bled into one another.”

The issues on PFMA’s agenda in recent years have included alcohol reform, labor, supply chain, new services, truck driver shortages, COVID-19 regulations and more, Baloga said. “All of those things have been challenges that we’ve tried to help tackle.”