Lori Raya will become the new chief merchandising and marketing officer (CMMO) for SpartanNash, effective Feb. 18. Raya joins SpartanNash following a 31-year career with Safeway/Albertsons, most recently serving as division president of Albertsons from 2015-18 following her role as division president of Vons in Southern California. In her most recent role, Raya led 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.
Posted inAssociation News, Guest Contributors, Northeast
N.J. Food Council President Reviews 2018 At Outset Of 2019
Linda Doherty, president of the New Jersey Food Council, looked at what happened in the past year in preparation for this new year. Not much in Trenton surprises me, but occasionally the unexpected arises that has an impact on our membership. Case in point were two significant issues we faced heading into the year. When […]
Posted inIndustry News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, National
Keep Waste Removal Process Going During Severe Weather
by Michael Hess/Founder, President and CEO, Waste Harmonics Winter weather hits and before you know it, garbage piles up resulting in dangerous and unsightly conditions. Within hours, garbage and recycling headaches can deter you from your day. As a reliable source of food and merchandise, you need to be ready to serve the needs of […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Equipment & Technology, Guest Contributors, Industry News, National, Store News
Cash Is Here To Stay—How To Deal With Rising Handling Costs
by David Johnson/Director of Business Development, G4S Retail Solutions Retail and finance experts are fond of proclaiming that cash usage in retail and restaurants is “dying” or even “dead,” and many point to the growth of credit and debit cards, the emergence of mobile payments and an increase in conversations around restaurants, grocers and other […]
Posted inPiggly Wiggly, Home Page Slider, ROFDA Reports, Shelby Content, Shelby Originals, Shelby Signature Content, Southeast, Wholesaler/Distributor News
Piggly Wiggly’s Bullard Got Education In More Than One Form In The Army
ROFDA Member: Piggly Wiggly Alabama Distributing Co. Editor’s note: The following is a portion of 2018’s ROFDA Report honoring ROFDA vets. The full report is available in the December 2018 editions of The Shelby Report. David Bullard, president and CEO of Piggly Wiggly Alabama Distributing Co. (PWADC), took a break from college to serve in […]
Posted inNortheast, Corporate Store News, Store News
Giant’s First Heirloom Market Opening Jan. 25 In Philly
Giant Food Stores will open its first Giant Heirloom Market on Jan. 25. The 9,500-s.f. store, located in Philadelphia’s Graduate Hospital neighborhood, will carry an assortment that has been specially curated for urban neighborhoods, the Carlisle, Pennsylvania-based grocer says. The small-format store’s selection is built around fresh, local, seasonal and flavor-focused foods, “everyday essentials” and […]
Posted inHome Page Slider, West
‘Little Joe’s Dinner’ Continues A Longstanding SoCal Tradition
In 1957, three men—Sam Guzzo of Oroweat Baking Co., Charlie Dragna of Barbara Ann Bread Co. and John Fusano of San Fernando Valley Olive Co.—started what would become an annual Christmas party. The event was held during the holiday season and hosted at Little Joe’s Italian Restaurant in Chinatown Los Angeles. The party quickly became […]
Posted inEquipment & Technology, Independent Store News, Northeast
Roche Bros. Upgrading POS Technology Across Its Store Base
Massachusetts-based grocer Roche Bros. is deploying Toshiba’s retail point-of-sale (POS) technology as a means to offer shoppers faster, more seamless transactions, according to the companies. Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions’ TCx 300 POS system and accompanying TCx displays are first being deployed in seven of Roche Bros.’ 20 stores in Massachusetts; 200 additional lanes will be […]
Posted inHealth & Wellness, Beverage News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Organic Natural, Southeast, Suppliers
Svoboda Imports Mineral Waters For Distribution In U.S.
Bradenton, Florida-based Svoboda Invest LLC has begun importing Magnesia and Mattoni mineral waters to the U.S. Originating from the Slavkov Forest in the Czech Republic, Magnesia natural mineral water is a natural source of magnesium, which plays a role in more than 300 different metabolic processes. It supports the proper functioning of muscles and nerves […]
Posted inFood Service News, Home Page Latest News, Independent Store News, Northeast, Perishables, Specialty, Store News
iFresh’s New Long Island Supermarket Soon To Open To The Public
iFresh, a New York-based Asian-American grocer, reported Dec. 3 that it was making progress on its Glen Cove, Long Island, supermarket. On Nov. 29, the Glen Cove store received its Temporary Certificate of Occupancy, which allows the supermarket to open to the public during the interim period before it receives a final Certificate of Occupancy. […]
Posted inRetailer of the Year, Independent Store News, Southeast
Rouses Is The Shelby Report Of The Southeast’s Retailer Of The Year
From the Editor Rouses respected by vendors, loved by customers—an ideal choice for our Retailer of the Year Award This section honoring Rouses Markets is the largest special section The Shelby Report has done in its 51-year history. These 100 pages are testament to the strength of Rouses’ relationship with its customers and vendors—as well […]
Posted inMidwest, Home Page Latest News, Independent Store News, Store News, Wholesaler/Distributor News
SpartanNash To Expand Into New Markets With Martin’s Deal
SpartanNash, a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based grocery wholesaler and food retailer, has signed an agreement to acquire Martin’s Super Markets in South Bend, Indiana, the companies announced Nov. 20. Martin’s is a family-owned and -operated Midwest independent supermarket chain. With the acquisition of Martin’s, SpartanNash will expand its corporate retail footprint into markets adjacent to its […]
Posted inGiant Food, Corporate Store News, Northeast, Store News
Giant Opens New Willow Valley Store, Makes Large Donation
As Giant Food Stores officially cut the ribbon on its newest Lancaster, Pennsylvania-area store on Friday, Nov. 16, the company made a $50,000 donation to the Extraordinary Give, Lancaster County’s largest day of giving. Nearly 500 local organizations supporting causes like education, health, children and families, the environment and more will benefit from the day’s gifts. […]
Posted inNortheast, Home Page Latest News
NEFF Food Caravan Yields Food For 65 Food Pantries For Thanksgiving
The New England Food Foundation (NEFF) reported Nov. 19 that its Annual Food Caravan food distribution, which took place Nov. 17, was “phenomenal.” For the past several years, the group has gathered on the Saturday before Thanksgiving at the Greater Boston Food Bank with more than 30 volunteers to distribute perishable and nonperishable food to […]
Posted inAlbertsons, Food Industry Hall of Fame, Home Page Latest News, Retailer of the Year, Shelby Originals, Store News, West
Albertsons Named West Retailer Of The Year; Miller Joins Hall Of Fame
Albertsons Cos. may not be the obvious choice for our 2018 West Retailer of the Year honor, as the Boise, Idaho-based grocer has been going through the painstaking integration process with Safeway for the past three and a half years, which has been “a distraction,” according to Chairman Robert G. “Bob” Miller. But that process […]
Posted inShelby Content, Grocery Store Layout, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Market Profile, Shelby Originals, Shelby Signature Content, Southeast, Store News
Lowes’ President Continues To Ask: How Can We Reinvent Ourselves?
Tim Lowe, president of North Carolina-based Lowes Foods, was a featured speaker at the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) Leadership Forum in August in Colorado Springs. Lowe was among the speakers invited to share their strategies and collaboration opportunities. Lowe oversees a locally owned (by Alex Lee Inc.) and operated grocery company comprising nearly 100 full-service […]
Posted inNortheast Market Review, Home Page Latest News, Northeast, Shelby Content, Shelby Originals, Shelby Signature Content, Store News, Wholesaler/Distributor News
Exclusive: 2018 Northeast Market Review
Each year, The Griffin Report of the Northeast publishes a Northeast Market Review—a guide of food retailers in the region that includes store totals and market share by state as well as other helpful information. This year’s review is sponsored by Imperial Distributors and also appears in the October 2018 print edition of The Griffin Report of the Northeast. Keep […]
Posted inGrocery News, Albertsons, Amazon Fresh, Center Store, Health & Wellness, Home Page Latest News, National, Organic Natural, Snacks Brands, Suppliers, Whole Foods
Peatos Maker Expects To ‘Unjunk’ More Snack Food Categories
A couple of years ago, World Peas Brand took on the daunting task of creating a healthy crunchy cheese snack—a clean-label alternative to the national brand. The company’s creation, Peatos, are made with a base of non-GMO peas and lentils (pulses) instead of corn, and the seasoning used contains no artificial flavors, colors or MSG. After […]
Posted inExecutive News, Home Page Latest News, Shelby Content, Shelby Originals, Shelby Signature Content, Special Section, West
The Shelby Report Salutes Our West Retailer Exec Of The Year: Pat Posey, Bristol Farms
Everybody Likes Pat Patrick “Pat” Posey, VP of non-perishable procurement and merchandising for Southern California-based retailer Bristol Farms, seems to be one of those guys everybody likes, as you’ll see from comments provided to us by his colleagues (friends). In addition to managing a successful career in the grocery business that started at Ralphs Grocery […]
Posted in, Giant Food, Home Page Latest News, Independent Store News, Northeast, Store News
Darrenkamp’s Closing Its Four Pa. Stores After 86 Years
Family-owned grocer Darrenkamp’s, which was founded in 1932 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is closing down, the company announced Sept. 4. Three of its stores—in Elizabethtown, Etters and Mt. Joy—will be shuttered, while its Willow Valley Square store in Lancaster is being sold to Giant Food Stores LLC. The liquidation process will begin immediately, Darrenkamp’s said, with […]