Page 5 - NSA GALA JOURNAL 2011

A True Partnership Means A Leveled Playing Field
We are delighted and honored to be celebrating our 22nd year, and in that spirit of celebration I thank all the National Supermarket Association members, especially the Board of Directors who entrusted me to lead the association during my term. I also like to acknowledge and thank all the business partners that have supported us throughout the year.
This year I will address and explore the word and definition of PARTNERS. The dictionary defines the word as an association of two or more persons engaged in a business enterprise.... I will also like to add to that definition key elements that I feel are crucial to the definition of Partnership: loyalty, respect and fairness.
In our lives we have different types of partnerships. We have partnerships in our personal lives with close friends, with our families and so on. Within our industry we have been able to develop partnerships with our vendors, manufactures, distributors and suppliers.
The NSA members have been able to support the vendor community for over forty years, even before the formation of the National Supermarket Association. In turn, we have developed good solid relationships with our vendors, from the small mom and pop, one truck-one operator vendor, struggling to make a small business work to feed his family and capture the American dream to the national brands that we entrusted to lead us as we were learning the business with limited experience, limited knowledge and in some cases not even speaking the English language, but making it with tenacity, sweat and sacrifice. We have been able to grow both your business as well as ours. The National Supermarket Association has been the conduit to that continued growth, we were there then, we are here now and we will be here in the future.
The NSA and its members have demonstrate a strong support and commitment to the major brands, even when we realized that in some cases regional chains received better deals than the small independent store. We are committed to continue our partnership with all the national brands; however, we require an even playing field for our members. We hope that you are not hooked on the idea that big box stores can deliver what we have delivered for the past four decades. We expect to be respected as business partners, with equal service and equal support. We hold the keys to the New York markets; don’t let anyone tell you differently. We are trilingual, we know Spanish, we know English and we know Business. We were there then, we are here now and we will be here tomorrow.
One of the key strategic partnerships that our members have is the partnership with our warehouses. We recognize that we owe an enormous debt to our wholesalers. We recognize that without them some of us may have never been able to reach the American Dream, which many of us are living today. We recognize and acknowledge that this is the truth. In the same manner it has to be recognized that the independent supermarket owners have given and contributed their share to this partnership. We are looking forward to continued growth with our strategic partners. As partners during this turbulent time in our nation’s history we also recognize that it can’t be business as usual. As in any relationship and partnership we must allow both parties to grow and prosper in a fair and equitable manner. We want, no we need, and correction, we demand to be heard as true partners, as we have contributed our share to this partnership and will continue to do so. Our partnership has been and continues to be the strongest business relationship we have. Our members have grown with their wholesalers, and we greatly appreciate and honor a relationship that have been maintained and nurtured throughout the years. I believe it has been a win-win for both. As relationships and partnerships grow, so must the relationship of the part- nership. The respect for each other is essential in maintaining a strong relation and a healthy partnership. The element of fairness must be present for both of us to survive and thrive during these challenging times. We are your customers and we look forward to continue our mutual growth thru a healthy, respectful, and fair partnership.
We were there then, we are here now and we will be here in the future!
Thank you always, David Corona