by Lorrie Griffith/editor–Southeast West Foods, an independent grocery store in the rural southwest Georgia town of Edison, has been making and selling fried peanuts to its customers for many years. The store’s owner, John West, who bought the store from his dad, Richard, back earlier in this decade, said the peanuts have always been a […]
Author Archives: Alissa Marchat
Staff Writer at The Shelby Report.
New Prepaid2Cash App Can Scan And Cash Out Prepaid Cards
Prepaid2Cash, a service that converts network-branded (Visa, MasterCard, Amex and Discover) prepaid cards into cash, now is available as iOS and Android apps. After initial setup, the Prepaid2Cash app allows users to scan their prepaid card and receive payment via direct deposit, usually within three business days. Prepaid2Cash says it is the first company and […]
Hy-Vee Program Raises $290K For Veterans And Military Members
Hy-Vee customers joined the company’s annual Hy-Vee Round Up for the Homefront initiative during the month of November and raised $290,068.85 to support our country’s active-duty military members and veterans. Starting Nov. 1 and running through Nov. 30, the Round Up program provided customers at the company’s 246 grocery stores across eight Midwestern states the […]
Guest Column: Historic Year In Connecticut Politics
by Wayne Pesce/President, Connecticut Food Association Many of us who work at the state capitol were anxious to know before the 2016 election about whether the “Trump effect” or “Malloy effect” would carry more weight at the polls in the minds of Connecticut’s voting public. Based on the results, Connecticut citizens made their feelings clear. In […]
Frick’s Quality Meats Breaks Ground On Washington, Missouri, Expansion
Frick’s Quality Meats Inc. has broken ground on a 28,320-s.f. expansion of its existing 120,000-s.f. facility in Washington, Missouri. The expansion represents a $11.5 million investment in the region and will create 40 new jobs. Frick’s Quality Meats is a family-owned company that makes smoked meats and sausages with distribution to grocery retailers in 44 […]
All Hy-Vee Brand Shelf-Stable Tuna Products Now Responsibly Sourced
Less than one year after Hy-Vee announced it was expanding its Seafood Procurement Policy to include the shelf-stable tuna category, 100 percent of its private-brand shelf-stable tuna products are now sourced from environmentally preferred fisheries. “We continue to push forward in our seafood sustainability goals and add categories to our list of responsibly sourced items,” […]
Buehler’s Fresh Foods Names New Board Of Directors
Buehler’s Fresh Foods, a regional supermarket chain located in northeast Ohio, has named the board of directors for its newly formed company. Dan Shanahan, president and CEO of Buehler’s, was elected as chairman and is joined on the board by Jim Tapscott and Paul Nanula. “We welcome the addition of these two outstanding new board […]
Stater Bros. Charities Donates $75K To Toys For Tots Program
Since 2005, Stater Bros. has partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps (U.S.M.C.) Toys for Tots program during the holiday season. Earlier this month, representatives from Stater Bros. gathered to present a $75,000 check to local Toys for Tots Program ambassadors. Funds from this donation are used to purchase new toys for disadvantaged children in the […]
New Maine Food Group Executive Director Working To Join Retailers And Producers
by Mike Berger/editor-Northeast Christine Cummings, new executive director of the Maine Grocers and Food Producers Association (MGFPA), will be returning to her position in January after maternity leave. She joined the association in 2017 and was promoted to executive director in June. She is excited about the growth of the association, the rise of Maine […]
Year In Review 2017: Top Stories In The Southeast
New competition—namely Lidl—garnered the most press in the Southeast edition this year. The merger of Amazon and Whole Foods Market also generated a good bit of speculation about what that might mean for the grocery industry. A number of top-level executive changes took place among the region’s grocers this year. Many also fine-tuned formats, undertook […]
Give Fresh Departments A Boost With Chinese New Year Promotions
Frieda’s Specialty Produce offers training and programming to help retailers ring in the Year of the Dog: Draw in shoppers to your store with the unique food experience of a Chinese New Year promotion. Frieda’s Specialty Produce offers special support to customers who book a Chinese New Year promotion by Jan. 10; it includes a […]
Recommended: Kroger’s Battle Plan For Whole Foods, Amazon, Costco, Walmart And Aldi
To arm itself against competition from the merged Whole Foods/Amazon behemoth, Kroger has reshaped its strategy to make it leaner and more accessible, moves that will have a big impact on how you shop. There are plenty of challengers who’d like a piece of your food budget, but Kroger still dominates the Lexington grocery market. […]
Fresh Thyme Looks Back At 2017, More Growth Planned For 2018
Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, a full-service specialty grocer focused on fresh, healthy and organic offerings, grew by 20 stores and more than 2,000 new hires in 2017, bringing its total footprint to 66 stores across the Midwest. Since opening its first store in 2014, Fresh Thyme has expanded across nine states, including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, […]
At Hanover Co-op Food Stores, ‘Local’ Actually Means Local
Associated Grocers of New England member If you’ve ever seen a picture postcard of a quaint New England town, then you have a pretty good idea about the communities Hanover Co-op Food Stores serves, according to Allan Reetz, director of public relations. The 81-year-old co-op operates four retail stores in the Upper Connecticut River Valley, […]
Food Well Invests $300K To Increase Local Food Access In Atlanta
Food Well Alliance, an organization committed to uniting communities in Atlanta to build a robust, local food system, is investing $300,000 in 13 organizations that are creating a “vibrant and more resilient city through locally grown food.” According to Food Well, the investment—part of its annual Local Food Grant—supports a group of farmers, nonprofit leaders, […]
7-Eleven Testing App For Mobile Ordering, Delivery & In-Store Pickup
7-Eleven Inc. is testing on-demand ordering for delivery or in-store pickup at select Dallas stores with its new 7-ElevenNOW smartphone app. Currently being tested in 10 downtown and uptown stores, 7-ElevenNOW is expected to roll out to other U.S. locations in 2018. Customers in the Dallas area who enroll in the new app will receive […]
Convenience Chain Weigel’s Names New CEO, Promotes Execs
As a result of Weigel’s continued growth in Knoxville, Tennessee, and surrounding communities, the operator of 66 convenience stores, a dairy and a bakery has promoted several key management personnel, effective Dec. 14, 2017. Ken McMullen, president since 2001, now will serve as Weigel’s CEO. McMullen joined the company in 1981 as operations manager and […]
‘Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.’ Holiday Campaign Targets Young Consumers
Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. is giving consumers the “tips and recipes they need to make beef the star of those big family meals,” all while rolling out the next phase of the brand’s relaunch. “Beef is the one thing that won’t be debated this holiday season,” said Alisa Harrison, SVP, global marketing and research at the […]
Midan Marketing’s Top Meat Industry Headlines Of 2017
by Danette Amstein/Principal, Midan Marketing Oh 2017—what a news-filled, exciting year you have been! Here at Midan we work hard to stay on top of news and trends in the meat industry. As this year wraps up, I wanted to reflect with you on some of 2017’s prominent trends that we believe will impact 2018. The […]
The Right Coin Management Strategy For Grocers: Turn Hidden Costs Into Profits
by Jim Weaks/ VP, Cummins Allison The grocery industry is constantly changing. Grocers must adapt to changes in consumer behaviors and expectations, online competitors luring away once-loyal shoppers and economic uncertainty that threatens already razor-thin margins. With that in mind, the pressure is on to control costs and find new ways of increasing profitability. Fortunately, […]
