IGA changing name to Harvest Foods

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

The name may change, but the faces will stay the same when Lakehills IGA becomes Bigfork Harvest Foods on May 5.

The change isn't an ownership switch or a staff overhaul, only a change in affiliation that comes with switching suppliers, according to manager Marcus Balgos.

"We're switching warehouses," he said. The store will now use URM, which supplies Kalispell stores Super 1 Foods and Rosaurer's, rather than the Super Value warehouse.

The benefit, according to Balgos and store owner Gary Byrer, is that rather than having three trucks each week during peak times and two per week during the slow season from Super Value's warehouse in Billings, six trucks per week will deliver food from URM's facility in Spokane.

What that means for customers, Byrer said, is "more variety through the meat department and more produce turnover."

Because of the more frequent deliveries and more active warehouse, perishable foods should have "fresh dates" that are farther away and produce should be fresher.

The store will continue its recent push for customers to use reusable canvas sacks and will still have monthly drawing for those who do.

The biggest change on the store's shelves will be the "private label" brand changing from IGA to Western Family.

Byrer and Balgos said the change should have virtually no effect on prices at Bigfork's only grocery.

The store has been an IGA for more than 30 years, Byrer said, and regardless of what the sign on the front says, he figures that might not ever change.

"People will probably refer to this store as IGA for the next 15 or 20 years," he said.