Festival Foods

In 1946, Paul and Jane Skogen opened Skogen’s IGA with an initial investment of $500. Paul’s son, Dave Skogen, assumed leadership of the company in 1976, and in 1979 the family acquired the Red Owl store in Holmen, Wisconsin. Festival Foods opened its first store in Onalaska, Wisconsin, in 1991, using the name under license from SuperValu.

Dave Skogen was named Grocer of the Year by the Wisconsin Grocers Association in 2005 for his leadership of the company. His son, Mark Skogen, became CEO in 2006 and later received the same Grocer of the Year honor in 2014. In 2021, the company announced plans to open two additional locations in the Milwaukee area.

Road sign controversy

In December 2016, Festival was sued by Metcalfe Inc., which operates three grocery stores in Wisconsin, over the use of Festival's "Road Sign Marks", which both Festival and Metcalfe used to promote local products. Metcalfe accused Festival of "intentional, deliberate and willful" violations of trademark laws, since Metcalfe applied for a trademark on its "Wisconsin Food Miles" road sign as compared to Festival's "Locally Grown" road sign. Festival said that "it would fight the suit".

Weight violation and labeling error

In September 2019, Festival Foods was fined $32,016 by the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection for labeling errors. The company had 39 weight violations and two labeling errors that the state department found in seven Wisconsin stores based on legal documents filed in Eau Claire County Court.

In 2010, Festival Foods purchased the Apple Creek Inn of De Pere and renamed it The Marq. The Marq is a 550-seat banquet and catering facility. In 2013, Festival added a second Marq location in Suamico. On May 19, 2020, Festival announced the closure of the Marq due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2025, Schnuck Markets' parent company, The 1939 Group, acquired Skogen's Festival Foods, including all 42 Festival Foods stores in Wisconsin. Festival Foods will retain its brand name and continue to operate from its Onalaska, Wisconsin headquarters as a sister company to Schnucks under the 1939 Group umbrella.