This month’s Chamber meeting at Super Market Foods welcomed special guests Jorja and Brianna from Hallock Main Street. We shared ideas, celebrated successes, and started an exciting conversation about how our organizations can work together to strengthen businesses, support local events, and build momentum throughout Kittson County.
Pictured below: Holly, Alicia, Ashlee, Danielle, Krista, Jamie, Matt, Aimee, Jorja, and Brianna.
Holly’s own story reflects the culture of the store. Having worked at Super Market Foods for more than 20 years, she began unloading trucks and stocking shelves before working her way into management. Today, she oversees weekly purchasing, inventory, and daily operations while leading a team of approximately 30 employees.
Owned by Tony, Super Market Foods is one of four grocery locations serving northwest Minnesota, alongside stores in Warren, Ada, and Hawley. The Karlstad location has operated in its current building for approximately 20 years and continues to evolve to meet community needs. During construction, plans were even redesigned to accommodate what is now the telepharmacy, Thrifty White —a valuable service operating independently within the store. Several years later, the addition of the off-sale liquor department and Marathon fuel station further expanded the store into a true one-stop destination. Holly added a favorite moment when mentioning Marathon:
“One of my favorite moments happened after a Marathon secret shopper visited our store. She introduced herself afterward and told me she’d shopped grocery stores all over the region, and ours was the nicest store she’d been in. Hearing that from someone who sees so many stores really meant a lot to our team.”
Today, customers can purchase groceries, fresh meat, produce, bakery items, deli meals, fuel, pharmacy services, and off-sale beverages all in one convenient stop.
One of the store’s greatest points of pride is its fresh meat department. Much of the meat is sourced through Mason Brothers in Wadena, with additional products arriving through Affiliated Foods distribution. Customers frequently compliment the quality, often saying it surpasses what they find in larger regional grocery stores. Jessica, the store’s NEW in-house butcher and meat manager, continues that tradition of quality service. She’ll be continuing to cut meat in-house, a service previous manager, Brandon, introduced to our store.
The deli also remains a favorite among local residents serving fresh chicken strips, rotisserie chickens, breakfast sandwiches, and other convenient meal options make it easy for busy families to enjoy quality food without leaving town. Plus, one of the store’s hidden gems is its 5 for $25 Frozen Favorites program, where customers can mix and match convenient meal staples like pizzas, chicken nuggets, french fries, breakfast items, and more. Holly even shared that the frozen chicken nuggets are the very same ones served fresh in the deli—a favorite for many local families.
Community involvement remains a cornerstone of Super Market Foods. The store regularly supports local organizations through donations, discounts, and sponsorships while welcoming special and bulk orders to help residents shop locally rather than traveling out of town. Holly invites the community to ask about bulk food purchasing for fundraising events or personal events like graduation, weddings, or reunions.
Throughout the visit, Holly emphasized that customer service remains the store’s highest priority. Courtesy carry-outs, friendly employees, and a welcoming atmosphere continue to set the business apart. Owner Tony reinforces this commitment with three daily priorities: clean bathrooms (checked hourly!), well-faced shelves, and spotless floors. Those standards have helped Super Market Foods consistently receive excellent scores from secret shoppers within its grocery network.
The Karlstad Chamber of Commerce thanks Holly and the entire Super Market Foods team for their hospitality and for the many ways they continue to serve our community. We are proud to recognize Super Market Foods as a Chamber member and encourage everyone to support this outstanding local business.
