The Kroger Co. says its total active workforce grew by more than 7,000 during fiscal year 2013. Approximately 90 percent of the new jobs were in the company’s supermarket divisions. “Our associates have the extraordinary opportunity to make a difference for the more than eight million customers who visit our stores each day,” said Katy Barclay, […]
Author Archives: Kristen Cloud
Kristen was Editor at The Shelby Report.
Posted in, Executive News, West
Smart & Final Names Hong Chief Marketing Officer
Smart & Final, the warehouse grocery store that counts households, businesses and community groups among its customers, has appointed Eleanor Hong SVP and chief marketing officer (CMO). Reporting to Dave Hirz, president and CEO, Hong will develop and oversee strategic marketing programs at Smart & Final designed to enhance the brand and build sales in […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Self Magazine Gets Into Frozen Foods Business
Self magazine is introducing Self Healthy Kitchen, a new line of frozen meals that feature ingredients from the magazine’s best-selling “Drop 10 Diet” books and weight loss programs. These ingredients are designed to help the body burn fat, lose weight and lower risk for disease. Self, a Conde Nast brand, worked with Chef Calvin Harris, […]
Posted in, National
Consumer Expectations That Are Reshaping Retail
While retailers have historically used the “multichannel” approach to reach consumers, the rapidly growing focus on the consumer and integrated, customer-focused technology has paved way for a “Total Retail” experience, according to a new report by PwC titled, “Achieving Total Retail: Consumer Expectations Driving the Next Retail Business Model.” Based on a survey of more […]
Posted in, Midwest, Suppliers
Ohio’s Velvet Ice Cream Turns 100 This Year
Ohio ice cream manufacturer Velvet Ice Cream will celebrate its 100th birthday on May 1. Velvet started hand crafting ice cream in Utica, Ohio, in 1914. It will mark the milestone birthday with a series of announcements, specials, events and activities, beginning with the May 1 opening of Velvet’s Ye Olde Mill to the public for […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Smartfood Introduces Delight Popcorn As Reduced-Fat Option
The Smartfood brand is rolling out Smartfood Delight popcorn, a brand of reduced-fat popcorn available in Sea Salt and White Cheddar flavors. At 35 calories per cup, Smartfood Delight popcorn is a product of PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division. “Consumers are becoming increasingly more aware of their snacking choices, which is why we created Smartfood Delight popcorn, […]
Posted inHy-Vee, Corporate Store News, Midwest
Hy-Vee Expands Health Focus With Kids Fit Initiative
Kids of all ages and skill levels will have additional opportunities to participate in events making up the new Hy-Vee Kids Fit program. The events will build on the kids triathlon offerings Hy-Vee has held in the past, but will expand to include one-mile fun run and 5K options to support wellness and fight childhood […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Marketing News, West
Essentia Water Releases Its Expo West Event Schedule
Essentia Water has released its schedule of events for its booth No. 5209 at the Natural Products Expo West, March 6-9, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif. • Friday, March 7: Stop the Swish 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Trampoline athlete Jerry “Iron Man” Fleming, an AIRobics instructor at Sky High Sports in Costa Mesa, […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Quirch Foods Launches Chiquita Frozen Foods
Quirch Foods, one of the largest distributors of food products in the southeastern U.S. and the Caribbean, now has a licensing agreement with Chiquita Brands to sell Chiquita frozen Maduros (Ripe Plantains), Tostones (Green Plantains), Yuca (Cassava) and Fruit Pulp (for juice and smoothies). These Chiquita frozen foods are made with 100 percent natural ingredients […]
Posted in, Southeast, Store News
Publix Now In Business In North Carolina
Publix Super Markets has officially opened its doors in North Carolina. It debuted its first store in the state this morning in Charlotte (Mecklenburg County). Located in the Ballantyne Town Center, at 11222 Providence Rd. W., the 56,445-s.f. store includes a pharmacy and the many other features of a traditional Publix store. The Lakeland, Fla.-based […]
Posted in, Southwest, Store News
Market Street’s Made-To-Order Signature Specialty Cakes Available Now
Market Street is rolling out signature specialty cakes topped with fresh fruit, as well as a new line of 5-inch cakes. Available at all Market Street locations in DFW and West Texas through April 1, the cakes can be made to order in any size and are made fresh in the Market Street Bakery. “Guests […]
Posted in, Beverage News, National, New Products
Diet Coke Debuts Diet Coke Frost, First Frozen Offering In Brand’s History
Diet Coke is introducing a new product, Diet Coke Frost. A low-calorie frozen carbonated beverage, this is the first frozen offering in the brand’s 31-year history. Diet Coke Frost includes natural cherry flavorings. Each serving has 30 calories and 12g of carbs. Diet Coke Frost Cherry as a Slurpee will be available exclusively at 7-Eleven locations […]
Posted in, Independent Store News, National
IGA Donates $290K To Wounded Warrior Project
IGA has donated $290,000 to Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) as a result of the third annual IGA exclusive brand national marketing initiative that ran in participating IGA stores from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend of 2013. During the promotional period last year, IGA donated a portion of the proceeds from the sale of […]
Posted in, Center Store, National
Healthy Snackers, Niche Marketers Set Tone For Crackers Category
The U.S. market for crackers exceeded $7 billion in 2013 and growth drivers in crackers are fundamentally the same as those sparking growth in the markets for healthy-ingredient snacks and salty snacks. Chief among these drivers is the fact that Americans continue to shift toward eating several small meals a day and snacking between meals, […]
Posted in, Executive News, West
C&K Market Appoints Wissmann COO To Lead Turnaround
Karl V. Wissmann joined C&K Market Inc. as its COO on Monday. “I’m excited about the opportunity to grow this independent chain. We have a lot of room to increase what we offer our customers,” Wissmann said. “I’ve learned a lot in my 40 years in this industry, and I’ve spent some time getting to […]
Posted in, National, Suppliers
American Frozen Food Institute Elects New Board Leadership
The American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) has elected three officers and nine members to the AFFI board of directors. The elections took place at the AFFI annual meeting and keynote breakfast Monday, held in conjunction with the 2014 AFFI Frozen Food Convention in San Diego, Calif. The newly-elected AFFI officers are: Dave Yanda of Lakeside […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Oscar Mayer Brand Introduces P3 Portable Protein Pack
The Oscar Mayer brand is introducing P3 Portable Protein Pack, packs of meat, cheese and nuts, designed for active consumers looking for a snack to help keep them going throughout the day. Supported by a major national marketing effort, P3 Portable Protein Pack is poised to become a major force in the growing $19 billion […]
Posted in, Midwest, Store News
Hy-Vee Plans To Enter Twin Cities Market
Hy-Vee is planning a major expansion of its Minnesota operations into the Twin Cities market. Hy-Vee has been a fixture in Minnesota communities since 1969 and currently has 17 employee-owned stores statewide with approximately 5,100 employees. “Our commitment to excellent customer service, health and wellness and culinary expertise is unlike anything in the market to […]
Posted in, National, Suppliers
Jack’s Link’s To Buy Unilever Meat Snack Business
Jack Link’s plans to purchase Unilever’s meat snacks business, primarily sold under the BiFi brand (Germany, Benelux, Austria and Switzerland) and the Peperami brand (U.K. and Ireland). The sale is expected to close by the end of March. Terms of the deal, announced Friday, were not disclosed. The transaction, subject to customary closing conditions, also […]
Posted in, Amazon Fresh, National, Store News, Whole Foods
Who Leads, And Lags, In Customer Satisfaction?
Customer satisfaction improved for a third consecutive year for retail, according to a report released by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). The retail sector overall gained 1.7 percent to an ACSI benchmark of 77.9, boosted by higher customer satisfaction with specialty retail stores, supermarkets, drug stores and gasoline service stations. A fourth traditional retail […]