Spartan Stores Named One of the World's Most Admired Companies in 2012 by FORTUNE Magazine

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Spartan Stores, Inc. SPTN, a leading regional grocery distributor and retailer, today announced that FORTUNE Magazine has named them one of the World's Most Admired Companies in the Wholesaler: Food and Grocery industry for 2012. Spartan Stores was the only company in the state of Michigan in the Wholesale: Food and Grocery industry and one of eight companies in the state to receive this recognition by FORTUNE.

“We are extremely pleased to be recognized as one of the ‘World's Most Admired Companies.' This achievement reflects the tremendous dedication and efforts of our associates as we strive to provide the consumer with consistent value and a quality shopping experience at our retail stores as well as provide our distribution customers a differentiated go-to-market strategy and value-added partnership,” stated Dennis Eidson, Spartan's President and Chief Executive Officer. “In addition, our consistent financial results and strong balance sheet, have helped to further position Spartan Stores as a leading wholesaler in the food and grocery industry.”

The 2012 FORTUNE World's Most Admired Company survey was conducted in the fall of 2011 among top executives, directors and securities analysts in 58 industries. A company's overall score must rank in the top half of its industry survey to be named to the list.

The survey assessed nine reputation drivers considered to be crucial to a company's global success: financial soundness, long-term investment value, people management, social responsibility, use of assets, quality of management, quality of products/services, innovation and global competitiveness. The complete list and related story appeared in the March 19, 2012, issue of FORTUNE Magazine.

About Spartan Stores

Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Spartan Stores, Inc. SPTN is the nation's eleventh largest grocery distributor with 1.4 million square feet of warehouse, distribution, and office space located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Company distributes more than 40,000 corporate and national brand products to approximately 375 independent grocery stores in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, and to our 96 corporate owned stores located in Michigan, including Family Fare Supermarkets, Glen's Markets, D&W Fresh Markets and VG's Food and Pharmacy.