Target said today that, following “extensive discussions,” President and CEO Gregg Steinhafel is departing the Minneapolis-based retailer, effective immediately. Steinhafel also is no longer chairman of Target’s board of directors. The announcement follows a data breach late last year that compromised millions of customers’ personal information. Target says that “now is the right time for […]
Author Archives: Kristen Cloud
Kristen was Editor at The Shelby Report.
Posted in, Industry News, National
Survey: One-Third Of U.S. Shoppers Will Pay 10 Percent Premium For Local Food
The second annual A.T. Kearney survey of U.S. shoppers’ local food buying habits finds that local food is fast becoming a necessity for attracting and retaining grocery customers. Comparing survey results to the 2013 survey, an increased number of shoppers indicate that local foods are an important factor in what they buy and where they […]
Posted in, Industry News, National
Study: America’s Household Brands Losing Ground
U.S. consumers are pushing their shopping carts past many of America’s national brands and feel little regret in doing so, according to Deloitte’s American Pantry Study of more than 375 brands across 30 product categories. Seven in 10 shoppers (71 percent) say they’re spending less on food, beverage and household goods, but don’t feel like […]
Posted in, National, Perishables
J&J Snack Foods Purchases Philly Swirl
J&J Snack Foods Corp. of New Jersey has acquired the stock of Philly’s Famous Water Ice Inc. Philly Swirl, located in Tampa, Fla., produces frozen novelty products sold to both retail and foodservice locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Philly Swirl’s product offerings include kid-friendly items as well as better-for-you products. J&J says that revenues […]
Posted in, Independent Store News, West
Stater Bros. And LifeStream Partner For May Blood Drive
Stater Bros. is partnering with LifeStream Blood Bank in an ongoing effort to boost local, life-saving blood reserves. Each month, Stater Bros. hosts blood drives at selected supermarkets. This month, blood drives will be held at the following Stater Bros. Supermarket locations: • 2-7 p.m. May 9, 2995 Iowa Ave., Riverside; • 11 a.m.-4 p.m. […]
Posted in, Southeast, Store News
Publix Sales Jump In First Quarter
Publix’s sales for the first quarter of 2014 were $7.8 billion, a 4.1 percent increase from last year’s $7.5 billion. It is estimated that sales for the first quarter of 2014 were negatively impacted by 1.3 percent due to the Easter holiday being in the second quarter, the Lakeland, Fla.-based grocer says. In 2013, the […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Nat Geo, Live Prepared Launching Branded Line Of Emergency Preparedness Products
National Geographic, one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations, has partnered with Live Prepared, a division of Blue Chip Group and a leader in emergency preparedness, to launch a comprehensive line of high-quality preparedness products for natural disasters and unexpected events. The National Geographic collection of preparedness products by Live Prepared will […]
Posted in, Store News, West
WinCo Foods Opening Distribution Center In Phoenix, Ariz., On May 14
WinCo Foods will begin shipping from its newest distribution center at 7502 W. Durango St. in Phoenix, Ariz., on Wednesday, May 14. The center, which includes more than 900,000 s.f. of warehouse space under one roof, will initially service 19 WinCo Foods stores located in Arizona, Southern Nevada and Southern California. The facility will open […]
Posted in, National, Perishables
Bellisio Foods Rolls Out Chili’s Licensed Single- And Multi-Serve Entrées
Bellisio Foods, a leading frozen foods manufacturer, is introducing new flavors to the frozen food category through its partnership with Chili’s Grill & Bar—launching a new line of licensed frozen meals under the Chili’s brand name. These Chili’s-inspired, southwestern-style dishes, available at major retailers this summer, offer a variety of meal options, according to Bellisio. […]
Posted in, National
Grocers Gather On Capitol Hill To Advocate On Industry Issues
More than 200 grocery retailers, wholesalers and food industry state association executives from across the nation convened in Washington, D.C., this week for the annual “Day in Washington” supermarket industry fly-in. Members of the National Grocers Association (NGA), Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and the Food Industry Association Executives (FIAE) participated in more than 210 meetings […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Farm Rich Introduces Smokehouse BBQ
Farm Rich is debuting Farm Rich Smokehouse BBQ, launching in time for National Barbecue Month, which kicks off today. The Smokehouse BBQ meals have no artificial ingredients and contain high-quality pork, beef and chicken. The five varieties include: • Pulled Pork BBQ—hand-pulled pork in a sweet and spicy sauce; • Pulled Beef Brisket—hand-pulled beef in […]
Posted in, Independent Store News, West
New Seasons Expands Local Food Entrepreneurs Program
Portland, Ore.-based New Seasons Market has expanded Local Finds, its program that encourages small local crafters, food artisans and growers to partner with the grocer to bring their products to market. Through the Local Finds program, vendors get tailored help with everything from packaging to FDA approvals and product marketing. The program builds on New […]
Posted in, National
Food Marketing Tactics To Be Explored At ‘Food Dialogues’ Event In Chicago
The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) says its next “Food Dialogues: Chicago. Integrity in Food Marketing” event will be held at the InterContinental Hotel from 9:30-11 a.m. (CT) June 10. As consumers ask more questions about how their food is grown and raised, food companies are increasingly telling the story behind their food from […]
Posted in, Independent Store News, West
Natural Grocers Debuts Clackamas, Ore., Store
Natural Grocers opened its seventh Oregon store Tuesday in Clackamas. The store is located at 11424 SE 82nd Ave. “Oregonians are very attuned to healthy living, and Natural Grocers is honored to expand its nutritional offerings with this store opening in Clackamas,” said Kemper Isely, co-president of Colorado-based Natural Grocers. Isely says Natural Grocers changes […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Al Fresco All Natural Launches New Freezer-To-Grill Products
Al Fresco All Natural is rolling out Gourmet Chicken Grillers, uncooked frozen chicken burgers. The new Grillers contain half the fat of a traditional beef patty and are the first offering from Al Fresco’s new line of freezer products, according to the Massachusetts-based company. Gourmet Chicken Grillers go directly from the freezer to the grill […]
Posted in, National
Mastronardi Produce Introduces Eco Flavor Bowl Packaging
Mastronardi Produce is rolling out its all-new packaging system: the Eco Flavor Bowl, a unique pack that uses top-seal technology to lock in fresh Sunset flavor. The bowl is made from recycled materials and is 100 percent recyclable. “A lot of research goes into our packaging designs,” said Giuseppe Rubino, director of packaging at Mastronardi […]
Posted in, National, Perishables
Harris Teeter First Retailer In U.S. To Meet USDA Certified Very Tender Guidelines For Beef
Harris Teeter is the first retailer in the country to offer U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Certified Very Tender beef. Harris Teeter is now labeling its Reserve Angus beef brand with the USDA Certified Very Tender label in its stores. The new certification guarantees consumers the highest quality tender eating experience, according to the Kroger-owned […]
Posted in, Amazon Fresh, National, Store News, Whole Foods
Grocery Among Industries With Highest Average Forgiveness Ratings
Based on a study of 10,000 U.S. consumers, H-E-B and USAA tied for the top spot in the 2014 Temkin Forgiveness Ratings, which rates 268 companies across 19 industries. In fact, grocery chains are among the industries with the highest average ratings. “Forgiveness is an asset that companies earn from their customers,” says Bruce Temkin, […]
Posted in, National, Organic Natural
Hain Celestial Acquires Rudi’s Organic Bakery For $61M
The Hain Celestial Group, a leading organic and natural products company, has acquired Rudi’s Organic Bakery, a leading organic and gluten-free company with facilities in Boulder, Colo. Under the Rudi’s Organic Bakery and Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery brands, Rudi’s offers a range of approximately 60 products—including USDA-certified organic breads, buns, bagels, tortillas, wraps and soft pretzels and […]
Posted in, National, Organic Natural
AWG Updates Clearly Organic Packaging And Product Line
Associated Wholesale Grocers has updated the package design for its Clearly Organic brand food products. Up to 40 existing and new Clearly Organic products have been released. Over the next six months, 150 new products will be added to the Clearly Organic line. In a concerted effort to offer customers affordable organic products, AWG and […]