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 […]
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 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 […]
Posted inRaley's, Home Page Latest News, Market Profile, Shelby Content, Shelby Originals, Shelby Signature Content, Store News, West
Raley’s Strategic Initiatives Focus On Customers, Concepts, Team Members
Kevin Konkel, who was appointed to the newly created role of chief operations officer at Raley’s this past March, kicked off a trio of executives from the West Sacramento-based grocery who addressed the audience at the Western Association of Food Chains annual convention in May. Konkel was followed by Deirdre Zimmermann, SVP of marketing, and […]
Posted inShelby Content, Albertsons, Home Page Latest News, Market Profile, West
WinCo, Heeb’s Among Those Building In Montana
by Lorrie Griffith/editor–West The Montana grocery landscape features a mix of chains like Walmart, Costco, Smith’s, Albertsons, Safeway and Lucky Markets as well as some strong local independents. Shoppers in the Billings area may get a new grocery option, as it was reported in February that WinCo Foods is planning to build a new grocery […]
Posted inGrocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Meat/Seafood/Poultry, National, Perishables, Wholesaler/Distributor News
Bergmann Leaves Supervalu West To Join Harvest/Sherwood
Leon Bergmann, who has served as president of West Region Wholesale for Supervalu since August 2017, has resigned to become CEO of Harvest Food Distributors/Sherwood Food Distributors, The Shelby Report has learned. Bergmann had joined Unified Grocers, which was bought by Supervalu in summer 2017, in December 2012 as SVP of sales. In addition to […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Amazon Fresh, Home Page Latest News, Shelby Content, Shelby Originals, Shelby Signature Content, Store News, West, Whole Foods
Washington Market Profile: Challenges, But Growth, Too
by Lorrie Griffith/editor-West One of the dichotomies in a state like Washington is that while there are major metropolitan areas like Seattle, there also are extremely rural areas. But, of course, both are subject to the same state laws, like the $12 an hour minimum wage that went into effect this year that will go […]
Posted inBakery News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, National, Specialty, Suppliers
Chatard: Take Advantage Of Trends Without Changing Your Product
Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Laure Chatard, director of sales and marketing-North America at Donsuemor, an Alameda, California-based bakery that makes madeleines and other French-inspired desserts like french almond cakes, biscotti and, the latest, sablés. In this industry, every new year brings new flavors and trends. I can only imagine what’s to come, […]
Posted in, Home Page Latest News, Independent Store News, Store News, West
Stater Bros. Honors Two Men Who Have 50 Or More Years’ Service
Stater Bros. Markets recently recognized “family” members who reached milestone years of service in their careers, including 55-year and 50-year team members. Through the “Family” Service Awards Program established in 1987, Stater Bros. team members reaching five, 10 and 15 years of service are recognized with a gold pin that signifies their years with the […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Equipment & Technology, Grocery Store Equipment, Home Page Latest News, Independent Store News, Industry News, Southeast
Independent Grocer In Athens, Georgia, Testing Shelf-Scanning Robot
by Lorrie Griffith/editor–Southeast A robot comes out of the backroom each morning at 1 a.m. at the Bell’s Food Store at 995 Hawthorne Avenue in Athens, Georgia. It heads to the first aisle on its route and begins its mission. During this test phase at Bell’s, the three cameras on one side of the robot […]
Posted inAssociation News, Albertsons, Home Page Latest News, Southwest
WAFC Invites Texas Retailers To Its San Antonio Convention In May
by Lorrie Griffith/editor–West The Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC) is taking its 97th annual convention eastward. The gathering will take place May 5-9 at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country in San Antonio, Texas. The WAFC already may be familiar to Texas grocers; the association’s Community College Retail Management Certificate Program “has expanded to […]