About Us

Before the beginning of the 20th Century, Dan S. Gardiner, Sr. quickly learned the value of hard work. As a young teenager, he found work as a delivery boy for a small grocery store in downtown Salt Lake City. Dan must have enjoyed his grocery experience for it wasn't very long after that he and his brother, Eli, ventured out and opened their own store. This was known as the "Gardiner Brother's Market."

Just as World War I began, he opened his own grocery store. This was the first "Dan S. Gardiner Market." Moving his family further east near the old family farm, Dan purchased enough acreage to plant fruit trees to provide fruit for the stores.

In 1948, Dan Sr. began a new state-of-the-art supermarket on the northwest corner of 2100 East and 2100 South. His sudden and unexpected death prevented him from seeing that new store open on his birthday in January of 1949. His son, Dan S. Gardiner, Jr. stepped in and saw that store through its completion and took the helm of what was known as Dan's Foods, Inc.. The company thrived under his care for over 50 years.

On August 6, 2000, Associated Food Stores, Inc., an independently owned wholesale company, acquired Dan's Foods. Today, Associated Food Stores is continuing the rich tradition of customer service and quality product that was established by the founders of Dan's so many years ago.