Strack & Van Til

About Strack & Van Til

The story begins with two separate grocers in Northwest Indiana, Ernie Strack and Nick Van Til. Strack had opened his first store in 1929, and Van Til started as a delivery boy before buying his own store. With a shared goal to build a modern supermarket, they partnered and in 1960, opened the first Strack & Van Til in Highland, Indiana. The company grew, becoming a key part of its local communities. However, the path wasn't always smooth. In 2017, the chain's parent company, Central Grocers, filed for bankruptcy protection. This created a period of uncertainty for the grocery stores. In a significant turn of events, the Strack and Van Til families, through a new entity called the Indiana Grocery Group, successfully bid to buy back 20 of the stores during a bankruptcy auction, keeping the chain under local control. This new chapter saw the company reaffirm its commitment to its founding principles. After regaining its footing, another major event occurred in April 2024, when Strack & Van Til was acquired by Hy-Vee, a large employee-owned grocery chain based in Iowa. Despite the acquisition, the stores continue to operate under the Strack & Van Til name, preserving the brand's local identity while becoming a subsidiary of Hy-Vee.