In the food industry, everyone’s looking for the next hot product and the newest food trend. But where does this all originate? What sparks a trend, captures a palate, alters our diet—and kitchen habits—and launches a new (or improved) food product? Long before products hit the grocers’ shelves, thousands of hours of research, agricultural engineering, […]
Author Archives: Kristen Cloud
Kristen was Editor at The Shelby Report.
Posted in, Northeast
AG New England Breaks Sales Record
Associated Grocers of New England held its 66th annual meeting last month and hallmarked a number of firsts for the company. Mike Bourgoine, AG New England President and CEO, reported to those in attendance that the company ended its fiscal year with record-breaking sales of $458 million, representing a $76 million increase over the prior […]
Posted in, Southeast
Winn-Dixie Moves On To National Social Madness Competition
Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. is participating in the national Social Madness competition after winning Jacksonville’s competition in the large companies category with a score of 1,915. The Jacksonville Business Journal reports that the social media team inside the company, anchored by Carlos Gil, has been a huge advocate of getting everyone in the company on board […]
Posted in, Feature, Marketing News, National
Use ‘Barriers To Exit’ For More Sales From Customers
by Rick Rusch, Thought-Tech Special to The Shelby Report Grocers, like all merchants, are prone to a fairly simple view of marketing. Many grocers see their marketing as the basic activities designed to draw people to their store. But is that really the purpose of marketing? If so, then measuring the success of your marketing […]
Posted in, New Products, Northeast
Select Jersey Shop-Rites To Carry Skeeter’s Lunchbox-Ready Cookies
Skeeter Snacks has announced that Shop-Rite stores in New Jersey, owned and operated by the Ravitz family, will now distribute the company’s new, lunchbox-ready cookies in Chocolate Chunk, Golden Oatmeal and Skeeter Doodle varieties. Skeeter Snacks says it is proud to partner with these select Shop-Rite stores to offer its 100 percent nut-safe snacking solutions […]
Posted in, National
N.G.A. Supports Bill Introduction Preventing New Regulations On Grocers
The National Grocers Association (N.G.A.) applauds the introduction today of the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2012, bi-partisan legislation that will prevent the FDA from exceeding its authority under section 4205 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items at Chain Restaurants. This legislation introduced by Rep. […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Wonder Bread Introduces Three New Wheat Breads
With more Americans looking to incorporate healthier yet satisfying foods into their diets, Wonder®, a classic American bread brand, has introduced three new wheat breads that combine wholesome nutrition with the taste of Wonder that families love. New Wonder 100% Whole Wheat, Honey Wheat and Wheat Sandwich varieties are baked with no artificial colors, flavors […]
Posted in, National
Visa Enjoys Record Gains After Settlement with Retailers
San Francisco, Calif.-based Visa broke a company record, reaching $131 per share on July 16, according to a San Francisco Business Times report. The shares rose $3.06 or 2.47 percent, compared to MasterCard’s 1.7 percent ($7.29) gain. The rise comes after the recent settlement with retailers, which cleared up uncertainty for the two payment companies […]
Posted in, C-Store News, National
AWMA, Merchants Grocery Co. Host FDA Plant Tour
A group of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulators visited American Wholesale Marketers Association (AWMA) member Merchants Grocery Co. in Culpeper, Va., Wednesday afternoon and viewed the company’s tobacco processing operation at the invitation of AWMA and Merchants. The purpose was to help the FDA officials charged with regulating tobacco clearly understand the distributor’s role […]
Posted in, C-Store News, West
Couche-Tard Acquires 27 Stores In Eastern Washington State
Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has signed, through its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, Circle K Stores Inc., an agreement to acquire 27 stores in Eastern Washington State primarily in the “Tri-Cities” area of Pasco, Kennewick and Richland from Sun Pacific Energy, which operates under the “Sun Mart” banner. The transaction is anticipated to close in November. The transaction […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Northeast
Tops To Acquire 21 Supermarkets From GU Markets
Tops Friendly Markets, a leading full-service grocery retailer in western New York, central New York and northwestern Pennsylvania, has announced that the company has entered into an agreement with GU Markets LLC, an affiliate of C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc., to acquire 21 supermarkets located in upstate New York and Vermont. This acquisition will bring the […]
Posted in, Feature, National
Organized Retail Crime Cutting into Grocers’ Profits
by Ashley Bates/staff writer Organized retail crime (ORC) involves a criminal network made up of many people who steal large quantities of goods from retailers and later resell the products, and it is a growing problem for U.S. retailers, costing them $3.53 billion in 2010, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). Thomas Martin is […]
Posted in, National
Hostess Brands Issues Extension of WARN Notice
Hostess Brands Inc., maker of Twinkies and other products, today sent an extension of the conditional WARN notice originally dated May 4 to its 18,500 employees, and Hostess employee union representatives. The notices inform them that certain events could occur within the next 45 days that could lead the company to sell all or portions […]
Posted in, Shelby Content, Southeast
Winn-Dixie Launches Prescription Program Including $4/$10 Generics
Winn-Dixie has launched in all of its pharmacies a prescription-savings program that offers deep discounts on more than 400 generic medications and varied discounts on name-brand and other generic medication. “Not everyone has insurance or health benefits that adequately cover prescriptions,” said John Fegan, VP of pharmacy for Winn-Dixie. “This program makes it easier for […]
Posted in, West
Nestlé USA Appoints Hannah Coan New VP Of Corporate, Brand Affairs
Nestlé USA has named Hannah Coan its new VP of corporate and brand affairs. Coan’s appointment follows the retirement of Laurie MacDonald who joined Nestlé in 1985 working in the nutritional products division before joining corporate and brand affairs. Coan most recently was SVP of Waggener Edstrom Public Relations, where she led communications for Microsoft’s […]
Posted in, National, Perishables, The Kroger Co.
$32B Prepared Foods Market Proves Supermarkets Aren’t Just For Groceries
Sales of prepared foods and ready-to-eat foods at retail will reach $32.45 billion in 2012, up 7.5 percent from 2011, according to “Prepared Foods and Ready-to-Eat Foods at Retail,” a just-released report from Packaged Facts. The prepared foods retail net extends across a wide number of retail formats, but supermarkets command majority share. Supermarkets garner […]
Posted in, West
California Communities Get Year-Round Access To Healthy Foods
Thousands of families across California will soon have easier access to essential foods for a healthy life as the result of grants awarded by The California FreshWorks Fund (CFWF), administered by NCB Capital Impact. The $105,100 in grants are designed to create new access to healthy foods, and are awarded to: The Community Development Foundation […]
Posted in, Beverage News, National
Consumers Union Praises FDA Action to Ban BPA in Baby Bottles, Sippy Cups
Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, today praised the action by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the controversial plastic chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) in baby bottles and sippy cups. “This is a big day for everyone who has worked so hard to get BPA out of our sippy cups and baby […]
Posted in, Northeast
Shaw’s Celebrates Grand Re-Opening of Maine Stores with Trailer Donation
Shaw’s Supermarkets recently celebrated the grand re-opening of its stores in Auburn and Lewiston, Maine. The company commemorated the occasion by donating a trailer to the Good Shepherd Food-Bank as part of its commitment to supporting the organization’s critical mission to provide food to those in need. The newly revamped stores were designed to offer […]
Posted in, National, Perishables
Yogurt’s Growth Outpaces Rest Of U.S. Food Industry
Yogurt’s growth has outpaced the rest of the U.S. food industry and analysts say the market for yogurt of all kinds is only expected to increase, reports Fortune. Reports and projects that point to growth in the industry, according to Fortune, include: A Nielsen study that says U.S. sales are up 15 percent from 2010 […]