The company's core businesses include distributing food to independent grocers, military commissaries (through MDV SpartanNash, its military division acquired through its merger with Nash Finch), and corporate-owned retail grocery stores in 44 states, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.

In terms of revenue, it is the largest food distributor serving military commissaries and exchanges in the United States.

[3] The Grand Rapids Wholesale Grocery Company was founded in 1917 by a group of 43 grocers and assumed the Spartan Stores name in 1957.

[6] In 2005, Spartan considered an acquisition of Farmer Jack, a supermarket chain primarily operating in Michigan and parts of Ohio and Indiana, but decided not to proceed with the purchase.

[6] In October 2008, Spartan announced it would purchase the Fenton, Michigan-based VG's Food and Pharmacy chain after nearly 60 years as a family-owned company since its founding in 1949.

[13] In March 2017, it was announced that David Staples would replace Dennis Edison as chief executive officer of SpartanNash.

[14] In 2018, SpartanNash announced to their Fergus Falls Sun Mart employees on June 15, that the location would be aiming for a July 14 closure.

In October 2020, SpartanNash issued warrants to Amazon to allow the e-commerce giant to purchase up to 5.4 million shares of the company over the next seven years.

[25] In April 2024, SpartanNash announced the impending acquisition of the three-store Metcalfe's Market grocery chain based in Madison, Wisconsin.

[26][27] In October 2024, SpartanNash announced the impending acquisition of the regional grocer Fresh Encounter Inc. and its 49 stores across Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.