Sponsored content If Disney ran the deli, would they do things differently? When we asked one of their senior innovative experts, along with representatives from other best-in-class retail leaders, we found a common thread: Customers aren’t satisfied by one-size-fits-all solutions, so providing an unparalleled experience with innovative, differentiated options is crucial. Their observations of the […]
Author Archives: Lorrie Griffith

Lorrie began covering the supermarket and foodservice industries at Shelby Publishing in 1988, an English major fresh out of the University of Georgia. She started as an editorial assistant and proofreader—and, in spite of herself, she still proofreads everything, everywhere. Over more than three decades with Shelby, she held a variety of editorial roles. After a detour into business development, she rejoined Shelby in June 2024. “It’s good to be back covering the greatest industry in the world,” she says.
Baker Boy To Bring Magic Ring Donuts To IDDBA
Sponsored content Every so often, an idea comes along that takes a time-tested product and injects new life into it. That’s literally what Baker Boy has accomplished with its new Magic Ring™ Donuts. The North Dakota-based bakery manufacturer is the first in North America to inject jelly and crème fillings into yeast-raised ring donuts. This […]
Galbani Mozzarella Wins Gold Medal From Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association
For the fifth consecutive year, Galbani Marinated Fresh Mozzarella has received an honor at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest. This year the contest was held in March at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Galbani, a brand of Lactalis American Group (LAG), received a gold medal for the marinated cheese. “We’re thrilled to have been […]
Decadent Flavors Lauded At IDFA National Ice Cream Contest
Kemps, Baskin-Robbins, Blue Bunny, Beyond Better Foods and many other companies were awarded for innovative ice cream flavors at this year’s Ice Cream Contest at the Ice Cream Technology Conference presented by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA). Bourbon, berries with brandy, chocolate mudslide, cinnamon bun and bananas dominated the pack, according to IDFA, whose […]
Strike Over At Stop & Shop; New Agreement Signed Sunday, April 21
In the evening on April 21, New England-based grocery store chain Stop & Shop and representatives from Locals 328, 371, 1445, 1459, and 919 of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) reached a tentative agreement (TA), effectively stopping an 11-day strike, according to a press release from the Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (FMCS). […]
Deli Meat Companies Use PacPro Interleaver To Improve Food Safety
Land O’Frost, which specializes in pre-sliced deli meats and specialty sausage products, wanted to start a new line of premium sliced meat sub kits for retail sale. The company aimed to add value by conveniently grouping a variety of meats in sandwich-sized portions, interleaved with sanitary wax paper. “We required a higher-volume, more sanitary solution […]
Publix Board Member Elected, Retirees Recognized
During its annual meeting of stockholders on April 16, Publix stockholders elected Jennifer Jenkins to the Publix board of directors, and Barney Barnett, Jane Finley and Charlie Jenkins Jr. retired from the board. Barnett becomes vice chairman emeritus. “I’m excited to have Jennifer join the Publix family. She will be a valuable addition to our […]
Canada-Based EarthFresh Building Produce Facility In Georgia
Georgia Gov. Brian P. Kemp announced April 16 that EarthFresh, a Canadian produce company, will create 100 jobs and invest $22 million in an advanced technology packing plant and distribution center in College Park. Kemp said, “Georgia is the epicenter of the Southeast and offers international companies a solid home base as they expand into […]
Refreshed Price Rite Marketplace Stores In Connecticut Open
Price Rite Marketplace has revealed its fresh new look and improved in-store experience at five of its Connecticut stores in Cromwell, New Britain, West Hartford, Wethersfield and Windsor. The retailer introduced its award-winning redesigned store concept with programming focused on special deep discounts and enhanced fresh offerings on the heels of a successful pilot program […]
Personalization And Relevancy Can Be Game-Changers For Independents
by David Kiehle/SVP and GM, Smart.Market Inc. Independent grocers are increasingly aware of the impact of industry disruption. These retailers are facing a new landscape marked by emerging technologies, quickly changing consumer behaviors, and a wide range of traditional and nontraditional competitors building scale through acquisitions and organic growth. This new environment creates challenges across […]
Fresh Solutions Of Texas: A Broker Dedicated To Fresh Departments
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Southwest It is no secret that over time smaller food brokers have been swallowed up by larger organizations or they have consolidated and become larger firms themselves. Now, if the pendulum is swinging back toward the small broker, Fresh Solutions of Texas is out in front of it. Carl Riley, Randall Colmer and […]
Wasteless Helps Grocers Sell Perishables Close To Their Date
Wasteless, inventor of a patented markdown optimization engine for perishable goods with a limited expiration date, made its North American debut at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show earlier this year. Headquartered in the Netherlands and Israel, Wasteless offers a solution to reduce food waste—a major issue for grocery stores across the U.S. “Wasteless reduces […]
VICKI: ViaTouch’s AI-Driven Kiosk For High-Theft Items
New York-based ViaTouch has introduced a new solution to make the purchase of high-theft items easier for both shoppers and retailers. ViaTouch’s automated solution is dubbed Via Touch Intellishelf Cognitive Kinetic Interactions, or VICKI. “VICKI is an AI-driven self-checkout device that auto inventories itself and also provides media at the point of sale,” Tom Murn, […]
2019 NRA Show Education Lineup Offers Recipes For Business Success
Sponsored content by the National Restaurant Association The 2019 National Restaurant Association Show announces its centennial education program—five tracks designed to improve every aspect of your operation. For 100 years, the National Restaurant Association Show has provided foodservice professionals the latest innovations, techniques, and technology to grow their businesses and satisfy their customers, and this […]
Organic Fraud Prevention Solutions Program Launches
In a major step by the organic industry to fight against fraud in the global organic system, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) has launched its Organic Fraud Prevention Solutions program. Organic businesses are voluntarily pre-enrolling in a program to help minimize or eliminate organic fraud both inside and outside of the U.S., according to OTA. […]
Stew Leonard’s To Make Its New Jersey Debut This Fall
Stew Leonard’s will open its first New Jersey store this fall at the Paramus Mall in an 80,000-s.f. space that was a Sears store for 45 years. According to the retailer, 350 new jobs will be created. A groundbreaking is scheduled for Friday, March 29, at 11 a.m. Stew Leonard Jr., CEO of the company […]
Molson Coors Wins FPA’s Highest Achievement Award For Its Cooler Bag
In March, the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) announced the winners of its 63rd Annual Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards. The Molson Coors 12-Pack Cooler received the Highest Achievement Award. Integrated with the Easy-Lock by Aplix closure system, the Grab & Chill pouch was designed by Bemis Co. Inc. as a reusable cooler bag for Molson Coors. […]
Plantic Food Packaging To First Be Produced At S.C. Facility
Charlotte, North Carolina-based Sealed Air Corp. is investing in capacity at its Simpsonville, South Carolina, facility to produce plant-based food packaging. This facility will be the first in North America to produce materials made from Plantic plant-based resin and post-consumer plastic. Sealed Air says Simpsonville is one of the world’s largest packaging plants with more […]
Quinn Snacks Taps Matulis As Its New VP Of Sales
Quinn Snacks in Boulder, Colorado, has named Al Matulis VP of sales. Matulis will focus on expanding the brand—which includes microwave popcorn and gluten-free pretzels made with real ingredients—across all channels and accounts. Quinn Snacks’ ingredients can be traced to the source as a part of its Farm-to-Bag ingredient transparency promise. “We are incredibly excited […]
7-Eleven Opens Its First Lab Store In The U.S. In Dallas
Convenience retailer 7-Eleven opened a “lab” store in its hometown of Dallas on March 22. The company describes it as a place where customers can “try and buy the retailer’s latest innovations in a revolutionary new store format.” The Dallas lab store—the only one in the U.S.—is located at the Sylvan | Thirty retail and […]
