Hawaii grocer Okimoto Corp. celebrated 75 years in business in 2024, built on a foundation of honesty, integrity, humility and unity. Led by the third generation – Kris, Kyle and Kit Okimoto – the company operates two stores on Oahu and one on Molokai. Kit Okimoto, who in addition to his CFO duties in 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 inMarket Profile, Finance News, News, Northeast, ShopRite
Klein’s Celebrates Milestone Year With Plans To Keep Moving Forward
Shoppers will find a blend of heritage and progress when shopping Klein’s Family Market’s nine ShopRite stores in Maryland. Whether shopping a Klein’s store in a larger city like Baltimore or a smaller town like Cardiff, customers will find a broad selection of Maryland-grown and -made products (and everything else they need) in modern stores […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Finance News, News, West
Grocery Outlet Embarks On Informed Store Refresh
Improving the in-store experience as well as product mix and inventory levels have been guiding decisions at Grocery Outlet this year. President and CEO Jason Potter, who has been at the helm of the Emeryville, California-based grocer since Feb. 3, outlined Grocery Outlet’s priorities during a Nov. 4 earnings call covering third-quarter results. “We’ve spent […]
Posted inAssociation News, Market Profile, News, Northeast
Council President: Season Of Change Afoot Across Maryland Grocery Market
The Maryland grocery market is in a season of change, according to Cailey Locklair, president of the Maryland Food Industry Council. “New stores have opened, but many have closed this year as well,” said Locklair, who also serves as president of the Maryland Retailers Alliance and the Maryland Association of Chain Drug Stores. “Food is […]
Posted inMarket Profile, H-E-B, Independent Store News, News, Southwest
Central Texas Flooding: Grocers Deliver Aid, Funding and Community Support
Thirty counties in Central Texas remain disaster areas following the catastrophic flooding from rains that began to fall July 2. Flood waters rose from about 3 feet to 30 feet in just a few hours, leading to the loss of 25 girls and two counselors at Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, on the Guadalupe River, […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Feature, News, West
Sprouts Farmers Market Looking To Midwest, Northeast As New Growth Areas
Sprouts Farmers Market held its third quarter conference call Oct. 29, covering not only financial results but several other topics, including its plans around new store growth. By the end of this year, the Phoenix, Arizona-based grocer will have opened more stores than originally planned, and the pace will continue to ramp up, company executives […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, West
Idaho-Based M&W Markets Relishes History, Plans For Future
M&W Markets has its headquarters in a dairy barn about five minutes from downtown Boise, Idaho. The barn was built more than 100 years ago, complete with two silos out front. “We do take a little bit of pride in that, our agricultural roots as a family,” said Rich Tate, a member of the third […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, Northeast
Charley Family Shop ’n Save’s Roots In Pittsburgh Area Run Deep
Tom Charley and Mike Charley are the fourth-generation owners of Charley Family Shop n’ Save, a three-store group in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area. Tom Charley spoke to The Griffin Report’s Lorrie Griffith about the company’s origins – rooted in the American dream – and how the fourth generation is working to keep the business strong […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, Southeast
Swamp Rabbit Café & Grocery Fulfills Co-Owners’ Food Dreams
Bringing like-minded people together has resulted in at least eight marriages and some lasting friend groups, according to Mary Walsh, co-owner of Swamp Rabbit Café & Grocery in Greenville, South Carolina. Walsh, who opened the store in fall 2011 with co-owner Jacqueline “Jac” Oliver, said, “When you build a place where people will interact with […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, National, News
IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show Returns To CA
The International Fresh Produce Association’s CEO Cathy Burns and 2025 board chair Tammy DeBoer, president of Harris Teeter, held a press briefing in early September ahead of its major gathering for the year, the Global Produce & Floral Show, Oct. 16-18. This year, the event is back in Anaheim, California. A couple of changes are […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, Southwest
Clark’s Continued Serving Meeker Community Despite Encroaching Wildfire
When wildfires threatened Watt’s Ranch Market in Meeker, Colorado, this summer, two executives from the company that owns the store – Aspen-based Clark’s Market – stepped in to keep it operating while team members went home to prepare for possible evacuation. Clark’s COO Jim Clapp first arrived on the scene, later joined by Director of […]
Posted inAssociation News, Feature, National, News
FMI Report Says Grocery Shoppers Are Resilient, With Aspirations To Eat Well
FMI – The Food Industry Association surveyed nearly 1,600 shoppers in late July to gather intelligence for the second installment of 2025 of its U.S. Grocery Shopping Trends report, which the association has been generating for 51 years. Subtitled “New Routines,” the report “examines the logic behind grocery shopping or the notion of what is […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, News, Southwest
Association: Overregulation Biggest Threat To Colorado’s Independent Grocers, C-Stores
“I guess I would say that it is getting harder and harder to hold the line.” That’s the assessment of Grier Bailey, executive director of the Colorado Wyoming Petroleum Marketers Association, referring to the livelihoods of smaller retailers in Colorado such as convenience stores and independent grocers. “There aren’t a lot of good things to […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Feature, News, West
Zupan’s Celebrates 50th Anniversary In Portland, OR
Zupan’s Markets is celebrating its 50th anniversary all year long. “We’re proud of our family’s legacy and deeply grateful for the customers, associates and partners who’ve supported us over the years,” said Mike Zupan, president and CEO. “This milestone is as much theirs to celebrate as it is ours.” Zupan’s, operating three gourmet markets in […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, West
Ray’s Food Place Filling Grocery Needs Of Happy Camp, CA
Happy Camp, California, sits about as far north in California as one can go. The Siskiyou County town – population about 900 – sits in the middle of the Klamath National Forest, on the banks of the Klamath River. The memorable name of the town, legend has it, was bestowed by a prospector who found […]
Posted inAssociation News, Market Profile, News, West
Legislation Impacting Grocers Across California Coming From Many Directions
Ron Fong, president and CEO of the California Grocers Association, has his hands full. Legislation impacting his membership has been wide-ranging and ongoing this year, from immigration and SNAP to self-checkouts and even shopping cart retrieval. As of this publication date, the California legislature had reconvened for two weeks to try and come to a […]
Posted inAssociation News, Market Profile, News, Southeast
SNAP, HDCPs, EPR Among Top Issues In Tennessee’s 2025 Legislative Session
The 2025 state legislative session in Tennessee involved some heated battles to try and protect the interests of grocery and convenience stores. Some battles were won; others were lost. Rob Ikard, president and CEO of the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association, provided a roundup from the 114th Tennessee General Assembly that ended April 22, […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Independent Store News, News, Southeast
Chappell’s Third-Generation Leaders Carrying Strong Legacy Forward
Chappell’s Home Town Foods was born in Middle Tennessee in 1962, when Chappell’s Cee Bee in Hilltop, just outside Clarksville, opened its doors. Founder Jack Chappell and his wife, Kate, worked for two years straight, opening and closing the store every day, until they were able to open a second location in 1964 in Charlotte. […]
Posted inGrocery Research, Association News, National, News
FMI Briefing Sheds Light On Likely Impacts Of Tariffs
U.S. grocery shoppers remain highly price-conscious, and 55 percent say tariffs are their top concern, according to FMI’s August 2025 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends report. The tariffs, however, have yet to be fully felt at the shelf. “Over the next three, six, nine, 12 months, we will see those factors filter into food prices pretty […]
Posted inAnniversary Issues, Corporate Store News, Feature, News, West
Pavilions Stores Specialize In Selection Of Stellar Wines, Liquors
“There’s no other supermarket in Southern California that carries the selections and the varieties that we’re able to get in Pavilions.” That’s how Wayne Heaton, VP and GM of the Pavilions banner, describes the stores’ wine and liquor offerings. He credits Phil Markert for stewarding those departments so well. “We have a very special director […]