Minier’s has a long, rich history, stretching back to the 1870s when Henry Minier opened a general store in Big Flats, New York, in the state’s Southern Tier. That store was about half a mile from where Minier’s full-service supermarket sits today at 84 Canal St. The family-owned store, known as Minier’s Neighborhood Meat Store […]
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, News, Southwest
Past Inflation, Current Tariffs Driving Shoppers To Seek Best Deals In U.S., Mexico
U.S. grocery shoppers continue to battle to affordably feed their families, wherever they live. From inflation following the COVID-19 pandemic to tariffs going into effect under the new presidential administration, prices are driving shoppers to form new habits and/or make some tough decisions. In towns along the U.S. border with Mexico – located in the […]
Posted inAssociation News, Market Profile, News, Northeast
Orange May Not Have Lock On Future Shelf Tag Color In Massachusetts
In late May, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced she was eliminating outdated regulations to save businesses and business owners time and money. The change that affects grocers in the commonwealth was the overhaul of unit price disclosure requirements that had not been adjusted since the 1990s. Brian Houghton, SVP of government affairs and communications at […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, Northeast
Cape Cod’s Ring Bros. Marketplace Staying Fresh In Offerings, Branding
Ring Bros. Marketplace got its start 100 years ago, when teenager Stephen Ring Sr. and his older brother, Edmund, sold produce from a horse-drawn wagon on the streets of Boston. Later, Stephen Sr. would take his sons, Ed and Stephen Jr., along to help. The sons eventually made the business their life’s work, like their […]
Posted inMarket Profile, News, Southwest
Grocers Large, Small Serving Shoppers In ‘Strong And Growing’ South Texas
While H-E-B and Walmart garner a large portion of grocery dollars in the South Texas market, independent grocers play a vital role as well, especially in the large number of smaller towns that dot the landscape. For chains and independents alike, South Texas has a number of upsides. Grocery stores provide good, steady jobs in […]
Posted inDairy News, Feature, Northeast, West
French Yogurt Brand La Fermière Fortifies U.S. Operations
Since entering the U.S. market eight years ago, French yogurt company La Fermière has maintained a 35-40 percent year-over-year growth rate. In 2024, the brand sold about 16 million ceramic pots of yogurt and oven-baked crème desserts. The company has a manufacturing plant in New York, as well as a newly opened West Coast facility […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Independent Store News, News, Northeast
Marty’s 1st Stop On Cusp Of Major Expansion In Danville, VT
Sometimes a career change comes when one sees the handwriting on the wall. For Marty Beattie, this happened in 1989. Vermont farms were going out of business, and he was working for a grain company. He had invested 15 years in that industry, but he knew he needed to pivot to something with a brighter […]
Posted inMarket Profile, News, Southeast
Still Much Work To Do As Western NC Continues Helene Recovery
In the last weeks of April, roughly seven months after Hurricane Helene ripped through Western North Carolina, new federal and state grant programs were rolled out to help the area continue on the path toward recovery. On April 25, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development had […]
Posted inMarket Profile, News, Southeast
New Potential Shoppers Continue To Pour Into North Carolina
North Carolina grocers have great incentive to keep their stores and product offerings at the top of their game – new customers coming into the state who have no pre-existing loyalty. Lindsey Kueffner, executive director of the Carolinas Food Industry Council, which covers both North Carolina and South Carolina, said that North Carolina’s population has […]
Posted inDeli News, Feature, News, Northeast
Caraluzzi’s Commits To Taking Back Sandwich Biz
Caraluzzi’s Markets made a proactive decision to take back the sandwich business that it was seeing migrate to franchise sandwich shops in the areas around its four stores in Connecticut. Mark Caraluzzi, president and CEO of the family-owned company that has been in business for 75-plus years, said that in the past, customers knew they […]
Posted inDairy News, Bakery News, Deli News, Feature, National, News
Consumers Carry High Expectations When Making Dairy Purchasing Decisions
Product quality is the most critical factor in consumers’ dairy product purchasing decisions. That’s according to a March article from Innova Market Insights based on its Top Trends 2025: Dairy & Dairy Alternatives – Global report. Dairy products play an essential role in global diets, providing vital nutrients like calcium and protein while promoting overall […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, Southwest
Mother, Daughters Aspire To Serve More Houston Food Deserts
Eladia Ayala has had an affinity for food since she was a young girl in Mexico in the 1970s. She started cooking early, having closely watched her mother create dishes like tamales and tacos and whip up frozen sweets. Eventually, she sold her own creations at her town’s central market on Saturdays. During the week, […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, Northeast
Family-Owned Caraluzzi’s Markets Continues To Nurture Reputation For Fresh
Mark Caraluzzi is president and CEO of Caraluzzi’s Markets, a family-owned operator of four food stores in Connecticut – Bethel, Georgetown (Wilton), Newtown and Danbury. Caraluzzi is a member of the third generation of ownership of the company, which celebrated its 75th anniversary last year. His grandfather, Anthony Caraluzzi Sr., bought Bethel Fruit & Vegetable […]
Posted inMarket Profile, News, Southwest
Houston Continues To Experience Growth Of All Kinds
Houston continues to be one of the most vibrant, growing areas of Texas. The Greater Houston Partnership in December released its forecast for job growth in the metro Houston area – 71,200 are projected to be added this year. If that pans out, Houston would finish the year with more than 3.5 million payroll jobs, […]
Posted inMarket Profile, News, Southwest
Founder Of Houston’s Little Red Box Grocery Continues Food-Access Mission
Sam Newman was fresh out of a meeting with the Houston Downtown Management District when The Shelby Report of the Southwest caught up with him April 1. That meeting involved his mission to connect people and fresh food in areas where those connections currently aren’t being made. Newman’s mission started to take form after he […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, Southeast
B&T’s Food Fresh Market Exemplifies Independent Spirit
John Triplett is co-owner of B&T’s Food Fresh Market – a growing independent grocery company with 11 locations in Georgia and South Carolina and more planned – with Clark Brunson. The two are self-described “conservative entrepreneurs” and own other businesses in addition to raising young families. Triplett also is a vocal proponent for tort reform […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, West
At Family-Run Goodwin & Sons In California, Stores ‘Positioned To Serve’ Their Communities
Michael Johnstone, VP of Goodwin & Sons Inc., is a fourth-generation grocer and great-grandson of the company’s founder. He responded to questions from The Shelby Report’s Lorrie Griffith about the grocer’s four stores, three of which are located in Southern California. To start off, tell me about you – your title and history with […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Independent Store News, Market Profile, News, West
Wildfire-Impacted Areas In SoCal On Long Road To Recovery, But Resilience Evident
According to the CA.gov website, cleanup after the January wildfires in Southern California currently is in phase 2. Phase 1, which involved the removal of household hazardous waste, was completed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency less than a month after the fires were contained Jan. 31. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers took over […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, Southeast
Family-Owned Milam’s Markets Reflects Metro Miami’s Culture
Milam’s Markets’ foundation was laid in 1984 in a Piggly Wiggly store at the corner of Red and Bird roads in Miami. The store is still in operation, and five more have opened over the 40-plus years since then. Kristie Milam Guzman, chief marketing officer and director of real estate for Milam’s Markets, is a […]
Posted inOrganic Natural, Association News, Feature, National, News
Beyond Organic: CEO On Redefining Health, Industry Honesty
Karen Howard has served as CEO and executive director of Organic & Natural Health Association in Washington, D.C., since its inception in 2014. She has championed causes such as defining the term “natural,” promoting quality manufacturing, ensuring traceable sourcing, advancing regenerative farming, advocating for sustainable practices, addressing nutrient deficiencies and propelling vitamin D research and […]