The associations address the practices under scrutiny and the pricing tools their members actually use.
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 inMarket Profile, Association News, Featured News, News, Southeast
SNAP Waiver Halted, But Other Legislative Battles Loom In Tennessee
TGCSA’s Rob Ikard said issues expected to resurface include surveillance pricing and food ingredient restrictions.
Posted inMarket Profile, Featured News, Independent Store News, News, Southeast
South Point Grocery Adds Offshoot From Downtown Memphis Store
Castle Retail Group added a second South Point Grocery in Southaven, Mississippi, in late 2025, that joined its original downtown Memphis locations.
Posted inMarket Profile, Featured News, Independent Store News, News, Rouses Market, West
New Rosauers Store In Belgrade, MT Offers Feast For The Senses
The 58,000-square-foot location in fast-growing Belgrade boasts a tortilleria, smokehouse and pizza, burrito and taco bar.
Posted inNews, Association News, Featured News, Southeast
Ikard: TN Grocers Relieved Healthy SNAP Waiver Halted
They had been preparing to implement changes to eligibility beginning July 31 that would have excluded some purchases.
Posted inMarket Profile, Featured News, Independent Store News, News, Shelby Content, Southeast
Chitimacha Tribe-Backed Second Raintree Market Fills Grocery Gap In Jeanerette, LA
Raintree Market’s second south Louisiana location opened in the town of Jeanerette on Nov. 19, 2025 – filling a grocery void that had left the town’s residents without a full-service supermarket for more than three years. The store, a tribal enterprise of the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana, is located at 1001 East Main St. The […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Featured News, News, Southeast
Kueffner: NC Grocers Maneuvering To Meet Regulatory Rules, Consumer Needs
Lindsey Kueffner, executive director of the Carolinas Food Industry Council, is in the midst of a busy legislative season in North Carolina that got under way April 21. Nevertheless, she took time to respond to questions from The Shelby Report of the Southeast’s Lorrie Griffith about the state’s grocery industry and some of the challenges […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Feature, Featured News, News, Southeast, Walmart
Walmart Blanketing Southeast With Remodeled Supercenters, Additional Locations
On April 16, Walmart announced its plans for remodels and new locations in markets across the country. A total of 650 remodels is planned, along with 20 new store locations this year and early into 2027. “This year, we are making a significant investment in our stores across the United States, reinforcing our commitment to […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Featured News, News, Northeast
Food Affordability Among Many Pressing Concerns For CT Grocery Industry
Sometimes there are advantages to being small. Connecticut’s small geographic size, for instance, means there are not too many food deserts, according to Wayne Pesce, president of the Connecticut Food Association. Though there is some disagreement about what constitutes a food desert, it is basically a low-income geographic area where a significant number of people […]
Posted inBeverage News, News, Northeast, Tops Friendly Markets
Western NY Coffee Brand Now On Shelves At 40-Plus Tops Markets
RocketCup Coffee has secured distribution at more than 40 Tops Markets around western New York. The partnership is part of Tops’ “commitment to support local businesses while delivering high-quality, innovative products to customers,” the grocer said in an April 15 press announcement. Founded in 2022, RocketCup says it is “focused on revitalizing communities through exceptional […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Corporate Store News, Featured News, News, Northeast
NYC Mayor Says Each Borough Will Get City-Run Grocery Store
One hundred and two days after taking over as mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani delivered his 100 Day Address on April 12, making good on his promise of city-run grocery stores opening around the city. Before speaking of the stores, Mamdani reminded the New Yorkers gathered that he ran as a Democratic socialist. […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Feature, Finance News, West
Store Closings Part Of Grocery Outlet Turnaround
Grocery Outlet’s top executive was candid in his remarks to the investment community during the grocer’s earnings call March 4. Jason Potter, who took over as president and CEO of Emeryville, California-based Grocery Outlet in February 2025 after nearly five years as CEO of upscale retailer The Fresh Market, said, “I joined Grocery Outlet because […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Featured News, Market Profile, News, Northeast
Redner’s Bringing ‘Fresh Market 2.0’ To Wilmington, Creating Foodservice Destination
Walk into most grocery stores and the experience is largely transactional: Grab a cart, work your way down the aisles and check out. Redner’s Markets wants to change that, and its newest store in Wilmington, Delaware, is the place where it’s making moves toward that next-generation grocery shopping experience. The Reading, Pennsylvania-based grocer broke ground […]
Posted inAssociation News, Featured News, Finance News, Market Profile, News, Northeast
Shift In Spending Patterns Detected As DE Shoppers Navigate Economic Minefields
Julie Miro Wenger, executive director of the Delaware Food Industry Council, spoke with The Griffin Report about the busy year she and her members have had. Many challenges have arisen over the past 12-plus months, as a new administration has made some sweeping changes that affect the industry. But the state’s grocers, as is their […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Featured News, News, Southwest, The Kroger Co.
The Future: Kroger Texas Division Drives Forward Through Innovation
Kroger Texas says the spirit of innovation runs through everything the division undertakes. As a result, Houston and Dallas have served as test-and-learn markets for several of Kroger’s national innovations. These include Nuro driverless grocery delivery, a Hispanic concept store and an Asian concept store. For the Hispanic concept store, Houston was selected as the […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Feature, Featured News, News, Southwest, The Kroger Co.
The Present: Kroger Texas Division Understands What Shoppers Want
Texas has always been one of the most dynamic, competitive markets Kroger has competed in. To try and keep a competitive edge, the grocer focuses heavily on offering customers value and savings. Savings come in the form of extensive digital coupons, personalized offers, Fuel Rewards (including a variety of 4x gas points offers throughout the […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Feature, Featured News, News, Southwest, The Kroger Co.
The Past: 70 Years Strong, Kroger Texas Division Paves Path Of Progress
Kroger has a longstanding history and deep roots in Texas, dating back to 1955 when the Ohio-born grocer entered the Houston market with the purchase of grocery company Henke & Pillot, which had been in operation since 1872. Kroger kept the Henke & Pillot name on the stores for about 10 years, replacing it in […]
Posted inAssociation News, Market Profile, News, West
AFMA: Grocers Weather Supply Chain Uncertainties, Keep Focus On Customers
Lisa Bednar, president of the Arizona Food Marketing Alliance, took time out of her busy legislative season to respond to questions from The Shelby Report of the West’s Lorrie Griffith about what’s happening in the state’s grocery industry. We’re coming out of a year that saw a new administration in the White House, a […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, Southeast
Funding, Support Go Long Way For Grocers In Underserved Atlanta Areas
In December 2024, Invest Atlanta – the official economic development authority for the city of Atlanta – announced millions of dollars in grants to bolster fresh food access in underserved areas around the city. The first announcement was Invest Atlanta providing $8 million in funding for two stores to be operated by independent operator Savi […]
Posted inAssociation News, Finance News, Market Profile, News, West
Hawaii Grocery Industry Adapts During Uncertain Times, Mounting Challenges
The grocery industry in Hawaii is facing mounting challenges as food insecurity remains high and transportation costs continue to climb. Approximately 30 percent of Hawaii’s residents report some level of food insecurity, according to Alexis Chapman, director of operations for the Hawaii Food Industry Association in Honolulu. The situation is even more dire in certain […]