David Glaza
September 16,2026
3 min. to read

DIGITS AGENCY LAUNCHES REGIONAL RETAIL MEDIA NETWORK WITH ASSOCIATED FOOD STORES

DIGITS Agency and Associated Food Stores Are Building a Regional Retail Media Network

DIGITS Agency has signed a partnership with Associated Food Stores (AFS) to launch a full-service regional retail media network. The agreement covers AFS’s owned and operated banners, including Macey’s, Fresh Market, Lin’s Fresh Market, Dan’s Market, and Dick’s Market, with pilot CPG programs beginning in Q4 2026 and a full-scale launch in Q1 2027.

Regional grocers sit on loyal, first-party shopper data that national chains cannot replicate at the local level. Most have never had the infrastructure to turn that into a retail media program brands can actually plan against. This partnership gives AFS’s independent retailers exactly that, without asking them to build or staff it themselves.

Key Takeaways at a Glance

DIGITS becomes the largest full-service management agency for regional grocer retail media networks in the country.

The initial phase spans 45 stores across Utah and Nevada.

AFS serves independent grocers across nine western states, with almost 500 independently owned supermarkets in its broader cooperative.

The network covers on-site search and display, off-site programmatic, social, digital coupons, and in-store screens.

Pilot programs start Q4 2026, with full CPG program launch in Q1 2027

DIGITS Agency and Associated Food Stores

What Channels Are Included in the AFS Retail Media Network?

The network launches with a full media stack: on-site search and display, off-site programmatic display, social advertising, digital coupons, and in-store digital screens. Supporting technology includes Instacart, Bridg/Rippl (now Partech), GroceryTV, Adergy, BR Data, and Meta. Brands work directly with the DIGITS team, approving campaigns without managing execution themselves.

What Does This Mean for CPG Brands?

Brands get a direct, managed path to AFS shoppers across Macey’s, Fresh Market, Lin’s Fresh Market, Dan’s Market, and Dick’s Market, with a single point of contact instead of five disconnected vendors. As the program scales toward AFS’s full nine-state footprint, early partners get a head start on a shopper base that most national programs cannot reach.

What You Can Do Next

  • Reach out to DIGITS to learn how a full-service retail media program could work for your brand ahead of the Q4 2026 pilot.
  • Ask about DIGITS’ managed service model if you are currently juggling multiple regional grocer vendors.
  • Watch for pilot results as the program moves toward full launch in Q1 2027.

FAQs

When does the AFS Retail Media Network launch?

Pilot CPG programs begin in Q4 2026, with a full-scale launch across the initial banners in Q1 2027.

Which AFS banners are included at launch?

The initial phase covers Macey’s, Fresh Market, Lin’s Fresh Market, Dan’s Market, and Dick’s Market, spanning 45 stores in Utah and Nevada.

Who manages the campaigns?

DIGITS provides full-service execution. Brands approve campaigns and DIGITS handles the rest, across on-site, off-site, social, and in-store channels.

The Next Chapter for Regional Retail Media

This partnership is a signal that regional cooperatives can build retail media programs on par with national networks, without losing the local relationships that make them work. As pilot results come in from Q4 2026, expect more independent grocer networks to follow this model.

Ready to see what a managed retail media program could look like for your brand or banner? Contact DIGITS to get started.

About DIGITS Agency

DIGITS is an omnichannel retail media agency specializing in Target, regional grocers, and alcohol retail media. As a Target Managed Services partner, Roundel Media Studio Certified agency, and Walmart Connect Partner, DIGITS helps CPG brands navigate retail media with strategic planning, hands-on campaign management, and proprietary analytics. Learn more at www.digitsagency.com.

Dave Glaza, Founder & CEO of DIGITS, remains committed to bringing digital capabilities to physical stores.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidglaza/

Follow DIGITS on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digits-agency/