History of W.H. Koch Inc.
W.H. Koch Co., Inc. is the parent company and family operation of three grocery stores and four pharmacies. The grocery stores are located in Sweet Springs, Chillicothe, and Cameron, Missouri and the pharmacies consist of a stand alone facility in Marceline, Mo. as well as locations inside the Sweet Springs and Cameron grocery stores. The fourth pharmacy is next to the store in Chillicothe and co-owned with Scott Cady.
First Generation
What became the W.H. Koch Co., Inc. had it's beginnings on October 27, 1956, when Ralph and Evelyn Koch bought the Food Fair in Sweet Springs from Paul and Margie Hoffman. Nine years later, in October of 1965, the Koch's reached a life long dream, when they constructed a new United Super store in Sweet Springs which remains the current location today.
Second Generation
In the early 1970's, their son Bill and his wife Phyllis became involved in the ownership of the business. Bill has worked in the store since January of 1959, where he started out bagging potatoes at the age of 11. In 1965, Bill became a meat cutter, a passion he still has today. In 1980, Bill and his wife Phyllis purchased the remainder of the ownership from Ralph and Evelyn. In 1982, Bill started an expansion of the present location in Sweet Springs, which resulted in doubling the size of the store.
In October of 1987, the Koch's bought another United Super store in Chillicothe, Mo. In October of 1992, the company then bought The South Town Shopping Center, where the store was located and began the expansion of that location. Also in 1992, the Sweet Springs location joined Piggly Wiggly Co. as a franchisee. In 1994, the Chillicothe store, due to the great success as a Piggly Wiggly in Sweet Springs, also converted to a Piggly Wiggly. Bill served 5 years on the National Board of Directors of the Piggly Wiggly Operators Association, beginning in 1995 and culminating in 2000, when he served as its President.
Both stores have been kept up-to-date with remodels, adding a pharmacy to the Sweet Springs location in 2004, a deli/restaurant in 2007, and a Durable Medical Equipment business addition to the Pharmacy in 2008. In 2004, the Chillicothe store was remodeled, adding a liquor department and a floral department and then again in 2008 when a deli/restaurant was added and the floral department was expanded. Both stores are continually looking for ways they can update and better serve their community.
Third Generation
Bill and Phyllis' daughter, Veronica, and her husband, Tony Clark, started working full time for the company after moving to Chillicothe in 1994. Veronica grew up in the store, working at the Sweet Springs location through high school. After receiving her BS in Accounting from Missouri State University and moving to Chillicothe, she now serves as Chief Financial Officer for the corporation. Tony started working for the Sweet Springs store when he was 16 years old. In 1994, Veronica and Tony were married and they moved to Chillicothe, where he began learning all facets of grocery operation. Tony now serves as Operations Manager over all locations. In 2009, Veronica and Tony invested in the corporation becoming shareholders. Their son Brett graduated from Chillicothe High School in 2016 and is attending Missouri State University studying Marketing/Advertising. Brett hopes to carry on the family tradition and run the grocery/pharmacy operations as a fourth generation.
In October of 2013, the company expanded to Cameron, Missouri with the purchase of the Country Mart grocery store. An immediate remodel was performed which included new energy efficient cases and lighting. A floral department was added as well a new salad bar and an expanded seating area for the deli/restaurant. With the completion of the remodel, the store was renamed The Cameron Market, and provides the community with a hometown store, complete with a black and gold theme to tie in with the Cameron Dragons school colors.
In October of 1987, the Koch's bought another United Super store in Chillicothe, Mo. In October of 1992, the company then bought The South Town Shopping Center, where the store was located and began the expansion of that location. Also in 1992, the Sweet Springs location joined Piggly Wiggly Co. as a franchisee. In 1994, the Chillicothe store, due to the great success as a Piggly Wiggly in Sweet Springs, also converted to a Piggly Wiggly. Bill served 5 years on the National Board of Directors of the Piggly Wiggly Operators Association, beginning in 1995 and culminating in 2000, when he served as its President.
Both stores have been kept up-to-date with remodels, adding a pharmacy to the Sweet Springs location in 2004, a deli/restaurant in 2007, and a Durable Medical Equipment business addition to the Pharmacy in 2008. In 2004, the Chillicothe store was remodeled, adding a liquor department and a floral department and then again in 2008 when a deli/restaurant was added and the floral department was expanded. Both stores are continually looking for ways they can update and better serve their community.
Third Generation
Bill and Phyllis' daughter, Veronica, and her husband, Tony Clark, started working full time for the company after moving to Chillicothe in 1994. Veronica grew up in the store, working at the Sweet Springs location through high school. After receiving her BS in Accounting from Missouri State University and moving to Chillicothe, she now serves as Chief Financial Officer for the corporation. Tony started working for the Sweet Springs store when he was 16 years old. In 1994, Veronica and Tony were married and they moved to Chillicothe, where he began learning all facets of grocery operation. Tony now serves as Operations Manager over all locations. In 2009, Veronica and Tony invested in the corporation becoming shareholders. Their son Brett graduated from Chillicothe High School in 2016 and is attending Missouri State University studying Marketing/Advertising. Brett hopes to carry on the family tradition and run the grocery/pharmacy operations as a fourth generation.
In October of 2013, the company expanded to Cameron, Missouri with the purchase of the Country Mart grocery store. An immediate remodel was performed which included new energy efficient cases and lighting. A floral department was added as well a new salad bar and an expanded seating area for the deli/restaurant. With the completion of the remodel, the store was renamed The Cameron Market, and provides the community with a hometown store, complete with a black and gold theme to tie in with the Cameron Dragons school colors.
In August of 2016 the Chillicothe Store, originally a Piggly Wiggly, was reopened after and extensive two year remodel and was named the Sliced Bread Market, after the town's history of being the "home of sliced bread". In 1928 Otto Rohwedder invented the first commercial bread slicer for his bakery in Chillicothe, hence the term, "home of sliced bread." The Chillicothe location is based off of Chillicothe history and the employees are dressed "just like it used to be". All of the store departments are also named after something historical to the area. The produce department has a sign labeled Livingston County Produce Company; the Meat department is called the BK, Bill Koch, Meat Market; the dairy department is called Chillicothe Business College Dairy Farms; and the frozen food department is called Chillicothe Ice Plant*Frozen Food.