You told The Shelby Report last September that Missouri grocers were “a little nervous” – not horrible, but unsure. How did stores absorb that, and what is the single biggest cost pressure on a Missouri independent right now? The biggest pressure on independent grocers at this point remains finding and retaining qualified employees and remaining competitive in the labor market. MRGA reaches its first anniversary in October, and the Ohio Grocers Association signed on for association management this summer. Bringing together the Missouri Grocers Association and the Retail Grocers Association of Kansas and Missouri created a stronger regional voice for retailers, wholesalers and industry partners throughout the Midwest.