The Produce Mom and grocery wholesaler Certco have launched the Produce Mom Picks program in independent grocery stores throughout Wisconsin and Illinois. The new initiative aims to erase the belief that fruits and vegetables are difficult to purchase and prepare. It encourages consumers to try new fruits and vegetables by featuring a pick of the week, […]
Author Archives: Kristen Cloud
Kristen was Editor at The Shelby Report.
Posted in, Northeast, Store News
Stop & Shop Debuting Norwalk Hospital FastCare Clinic In Fairfield, Conn.
The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. has joined with Norwalk Hospital FastCare to introduce a new in-store health clinic to Fairfield, Conn., customers. The clinic, located within Stop & Shop at 1160 Kings Hwy. Cut-off, provides customers with convenient and affordable care for the treatment of a variety of common illnesses and preventative healthcare options. […]
Posted in, National
Supermarket Chef Showdown’s 25 Finalists To Compete Live At FMI Connect
The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) has named the 25 finalists for the Supermarket Chef Showdown, the food retail industry’s unique competition for culinary talent. The finals will be held June 11 at FMI’s new annual FMI Connect show. That will determine five grand-prize winners and one overall champion. The 25 contestants entered their recipes in […]
Posted in, Midwest, Store News
Buehler’s Expands Rewards For Fuel Program
Buehler’s customers at seven locations (Brunswick, Wadsworth, Portage Lakes, Canton, Delaware and two Medina stores) will have a choice to redeem their earned loyalty points: redeem for fuel or redeem for food. Buehler’s says it is the only grocer in Ohio to give customers a choice on how they redeem their Buehler’s Rewards electronically. The […]
Posted in, National
Hillshire Brands To Buy Pinnacle Foods In $6.6B Deal
Hillshire Brands has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase Pinnacle Foods Inc. in a $4.3 billion transaction to include cash and Hillshire common stock. The deal, including debt, is valued at $6.6 billion, according to reports. Under the terms of the agreement, Hillshire will acquire all outstanding shares of Pinnacle Foods. Pinnacle stockholders will […]
Posted in, National
Research: Fresh Pear Consumption Associated With Better Health
Pear Bureau Northwest, the Portland, Ore.-based nonprofit marketing association that promotes fresh pears grown in Oregon and Washington, recently commissioned nutrition research examining fresh pear consumption and the associated nutrition and health benefits. The research, which was led by Dr. Victor Fulgoni III was presented at Experimental Biology in San Diego earlier this month and […]
Posted in, National, West
Unified’s Sales, Earnings Improve
Unified Grocers this week announced improved sales and earnings for the 26 and 13 weeks ended March 29, the company’s second quarter of fiscal 2014. For the 26-week period, the Los Angeles-based distributor reported gross billings of $1.898 billion, compared to gross billings of $1.838 billion for the 26 weeks ended March 30, 2013, a […]
Posted in, Independent Store News, Northeast
Weis Markets 1Q Sales Increase, But Net Income Down 26.6 Percent
Weis Markets reported its first quarter results this week. During the 13-week period ending March 29, the company’s sales increased 0.6 percent to $687.1 million while its comparable store sales were down 1.3 percent compared to the same period a year ago. During the same period, the company generated earnings per share of $0.55 compared […]
Posted in, Center Store, National
Ancient Harvest Debuts New Look, Expands Gluten-Free Offerings
Ancient Harvest, the first brand to bring quinoa to the U.S. in the 1980s, is expanding with the launch of new Mac & Cheese and Culinary Ancient Grains lines. The new product lines are supported by the debut of refreshed packaging and a revamped website, which the brand first revealed earlier this year. The new […]
Posted in, Southwest, Suppliers
Hormel Foods Donates Product For Tornado Relief Efforts In Little Rock
Hormel Foods Corp. has donated a semi-trailer load of product to assist with tornado relief efforts in Little Rock, Ark. The donation of Hormel Compleats microwave meals, Skippy Natural dark chocolate peanut butter spread and Hormel 2Good smoothies will go to the Arkansas Rice Depot in Little Rock. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Blue Bell Introduces Red, White & Blue Bell Ice Cream
Blue Bell is rolling out new Red, White & Blue Bell Ice Cream, a colorful dessert featuring a strawberry ice cream loaded with strawberries, a vanilla ice cream as well as a blueberry ice cream combined with real blueberries—all packaged side by side in one carton. “We started with three basic ice cream flavors, strawberry, […]
Posted in, National, Store News
FMI 2014 Store Manager Award Finalists Revealed
The Food Marketing Institute’s 15th annual Store Manager Award finalists have been revealed. Four grand prize winners will be selected from among the 10 finalists on Wednesday, June 11, during FMI Connect, the new annual FMI Show, in Chicago. The Store Manager Award finalists are recognized for their work to achieve positive sales growth and […]
Posted in, Southwest, Store News
Groundbreaking Set Thursday For Kroger Marketplace In Castle Hills, Texas
Cencor Realty Services, one of largest retail development services firms based in Texas, and Kroger, the leading grocer in North Texas, will break ground at 11 a.m. Thursday on a Kroger Marketplace, which is the anchor and first phase of a community/regional-draw center located at the southwest corner of SH-121 and Josey Lane in Castle […]
Posted in, C-Store News, Grocery Store Layout, Southwest
api(+) Designs New Walmart C-Store Concept, Walmart To Go
api(+), a leader in retail architecture and design based in Tampa, Fla., has unveiled its prototype design for Walmart To Go. The concept is Walmart’s first small format convenience store and is now open in Bentonville, Ark. Unlike traditional convenience stores, Walmart To Go offers a mix of traditional grocery items and fresh prepared foods […]
Posted in, Independent Store News, Midwest
Roundy’s Selling 18 Rainbow Stores To Supervalu-Led Consortium
Supervalu Inc., the owner of Cub Foods, along with four Twin Cities-based independent grocery retailers have each entered into a definitive agreement with Roundy’s to acquire certain Rainbow Foods grocery stores for approximately $65 million, plus inventory. In total, the consortium agreed to acquire 18 Rainbow grocery stores, including 13 Rainbow pharmacies and three Rainbow […]
Posted in, National, Store News
Whole Foods Announces Store Openings And Moves
Whole Foods Market this week announced several store openings and moves. The Austin, Texas-based grocer has signed a lease for a new store in Richmond, Va., plans to relocate a North Wales, Pa., store and has announced openings in New Jersey and Indiana. Richmond, Va. The approximately 40,000-s.f. store will be located on Broad Street […]
Posted in, Equipment & Technology, West
Kroger’s First Fleet Of Liquid Natural Gas Trucks In Oregon Making Debut
The Kroger Co. will be the first in Oregon to deploy a fleet of heavy-duty trucks that run on Liquid Natural Gas (LNG). The 40 trucks will replace 40 diesel trucks currently in use and are expected to start making store deliveries in the Portland metropolitan area by the end of this year. The use […]
Posted in, Industry News, Southeast
Red White And Food To Lead Tennessee Wine Referendum Campaign
Red White and Food—a coalition launched by the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association in support of wine sales in retail food stores—will become an independent nonprofit organization that will lead the statewide wine referendum campaign. By becoming a 501(c)(6) organization, Red White and Food will be able to support eligible communities in local petition […]
Posted in, Executive News, National
Butterball Promotes Kerry Doughty To President And CEO
Butterball has named Kerry Doughty president and CEO. The appointment became effective Monday. As CEO, Doughty will be responsible for overseeing the company’s business strategy and operations and will leverage more than 30 years of experience in the food industry. “Butterball will benefit from Kerry’s leadership, vision and passion for customers and associates as he […]
Posted in, Southeast, Store News
Ingles Reports Higher Sales, Income For 2Q And First Half Of FY 2014
Ingles Markets reported Friday higher sales and net income for the three and six months ended March 29, 2014, as compared with the three and six months ended March 30, 2013. Second quarter net sales rose $27.1 million to $947.8 million and net income increased 29.2 percent to $10.5 million, compared with net income of $8.1 million […]