Partnerships that Last
In 1982, Stater Bros., a premier supermarket chain in the Inland Empire of Southern California, and Daymon Worldwide began a relationship on a handshake between Jack Brown, the Stater Chairman, and Milt Sender, Daymon’s founder. In 2007 those same two men celebrated the 25-year milestone, which Mr. Sender called “a relationship unprecedented in our industry.”
One of the early brainstorming sessions between the two companies resulted in Stater Bros.’ first private brand’s “value” tier – the “Brown Label” – so called because of the store’s loyal customers who packed their own lunches and not because of the chairman’s last name. “The plain brown label is the best buy for your table,” was the slogan, and has Mr. Brown recalled, it was “the start of a great 25-year partnership. But I believe our best days are ahead of us. Daymon is truly a creative organization; Milt is a great and sincere salesman; and joining Topco was the next step we took going down the road to where we are today.”
Peter Brennan, Daymon Vice Chairman, talks about how “family has always been so important to Jack Brown” – his own family and the Stater Bros. family. “And Jack has always allowed us to be part of that family. Daymon has always been as good as the people and companies we work with, and you have allowed us to be the best we can possibly be. We promise you will continue to get our best every day; we will live up to your challenges, and together we will make the Stater Bros. brand even stronger in the future.”
Jim Lee, Stater Bros. President and a huge fan of UCLA basketball, used legendary coach John Wooden’s “Pyramid of Success” to describe the Stater/Daymon relationship. At the base of the pyramid is “friendship, loyalty and cooperation,” and at the top is the goal of “competitive greatness.” “Together we have achieved competitive greatness. Together we have forged a great partnership. But more importantly we have developed a true friendship.” Both companies have always believed in the same tenet, Lee said: “Do the right thing for the right reason. That’s?what our relationship is all about.”