The Albertsons on the corner of Harbor Boulevard and Wilson Street, a Costa Mesa neighborhood anchor for two decades, is set to close Feb. 22 — paving the way for a new Northgate González Market. Melissa Hill, a spokeswoman for the Albertsons grocery chain, said the lease for the store — which opened in Harbor […]
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.
7-Eleven, Stripes First To Offer Jarritos As A Fountain Drink
In an exclusive deal announced Dec. 13, 7-Eleven and Stripes are the first stores to bring Jarritos Craft Soda to the soft drink fountain. Up to now, the soft drink from Mexico has only been sold in a bottle. Mandarin, one of Jarritos’ most popular flavors, will be available on Big Gulp fountain machines at […]
Recommended: Apollo Seeks Sale Of Smart & Final’s Food Warehouse Stores
Private equity firm Apollo Global Management Inc. is exploring a sale of the warehouse store business of Smart & Final Stores LLC, the U.S. food retailer it acquired in June, people familiar with the matter said on Friday. Apollo is seeking more than $1 billion for the business, close to the price tag of $1.1 […]
Making Mealtimes Measure Up
sponsored content Shoppers purchase prepared foods for convenience, but they’ve also confessed they’re looking for more than a random assortment of products. They want dinner to be a time when their family can reconnect. A big part of that experience includes a satisfying meal¹²³. Eric LeBlanc, director of channel marketing-deli at Tyson Foods Inc., […]
Recommended: Suit Filed Against Former Central Grocers Directors
A bankruptcy trustee has sued the former officers and directors of Central Grocers, once the largest grocery cooperative in the Chicago area and a wholesaler to hundreds of local retailers, for allegedly making self-interested decisions that drove the company into the ground. The suit, filed Tuesday [Nov. 19] in Chicago federal court, names 20 defendants, […]
Prairie Farms Again Sponsors ‘Party On Give On’ Holiday Campaign
Through its Party On Give On! promotion through the end of the year, Prairie Farms is inviting people to enter the online contest for a chance to win weekly prize packages filled with free coupons for a variety of dairy products. The Edwardsville, Illinois-based company will pick a winner each week for a grand prize […]
Recommended: Jacksonville Approves $750,000 Grant To Rowe’s IGA
After sitting empty for nearly two years, the former Harveys Supermarket in the Commonwealth Shopping Center in Northwest Jacksonville will reopen as Rowe’s IGA. City Council approved a $750,000 grant Tuesday night to partially finance renovations to open the Rowe’s IGA Supermarket. Ordinance 2019-0767 passed unanimously as part of the consent agenda. The bill provides […]
Better For Them Means Better For Us, Too
sponsored content by Eric LeBlanc, director of marketing-deli, Tyson Foods Inc. To paraphrase a popular book: Supermarkets were made for people, not people for the supermarkets. That’s why we put frequently purchased items like milk, butter and eggs at the back of the store. Because that’s what people want—to walk the entire real estate of […]
On Site: Northgate González Expands Into Riverside, Calif., With New Store
The Shelby Report’s VP-West Bob Reeves attended the VIP reception the evening before the new Northgate González Market opened Nov. 20 in Riverside, California. Guests were treated to a private tour of the store and the opportunity to mingle with members of the Riverside community, members of the González family and store associates. Homemade tortillas, […]
Rubicon Bakers Rolls Out Its Holiday Cakes, Muffins
Richmond, California-based Rubicon Bakers unveiled its seasonal holiday product line in early November. The line features Gingerbread Layer Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing; Pumpkin Salted Caramel Cupcakes; Peppermint Fudge Cupcakes; and Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins. Rubicon Bakers is a social-mission company that seeks to “Bake a Better World” through its conscious business practices, the […]
Muffin Town Now Offering Its Cornbread In Half-Sheet Size
Muffin Town has added a new half-sheet size of cornbread to its portfolio of bakery products. Each 4-lb. sheet comes pre-scored for custom cutting into 30 squares, creating the appearance of a freshly baked and hand-sliced cornbread serving. The cornbread is prebaked, frozen, and ready to thaw and serve. The Muffin Town line of authentic […]
Acosta Filing Prepackaged Chapter 11 To Cut $3B Long-Term Debt
Acosta said Nov. 8 that it has reached terms with more than 70 percent of its lenders and more than 80 percent of its noteholders as a precursor to its prepackaged Chapter 11 filing. The Jacksonville, Florida-based sales and marketing agency said the plan will eliminate all of its approximately $3 billion of long-term debt. […]
UPDATED: ROFDA To Join Forces With NGA Jan. 1
The Retailer Owned Food Distributors & Associates (ROFDA) organization will merge under the National Grocers Association (NGA) umbrella, effective Jan. 1, 2020. The announcement was made this morning at the NGA and ROFDA co-located fall conference in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. ROFDA’s current share groups and buying programs will continue to operate under this new […]
Real Shoppers With Real Feedback On Deli
sponsored content Meet the Keeley family of Warrenville, Illinois. They are one of several families Tyson Foods-Deli recently invited to take the Prepared Foods Challenge4. It seemed easy enough, to make dinner every night for a week using prepared foods from local grocery stores. But what the Keeley family soon discovered was not the fun […]
Kroger Will Exit E-Cigarette Business, Citing Questions, Complexity
In a statement from a Kroger Co. spokesperson this afternoon, the Cincinnati, Ohio-based grocery chain said it is getting out of the e-cigarette business. “Kroger is discontinuing the sale of electronic nicotine delivery products, or e-cigarettes, at all store and fuel center locations due to the mounting questions and increasingly-complex regulatory environment associated with these […]
Ferranti To Succeed Gisel As CEO Of Rich Products Jan. 1
Rich Products’ decade-long succession plan will take effect Jan. 1, 2020, when CEO Bill Gisel becomes executive vice chair of Rich Holdings Inc. and Richard Ferranti, currently president and COO of Rich Products, becomes CEO. In that role, Ferranti will lead Buffalo, New York-based Rich’s $4 billion global food business. Rich Holdings is the holding […]
Latin Marketplace La Cosecha Opens In Washington, D.C.
On Thursday, Oct. 3, a new Latin marketplace called La Cosecha had a soft opening in Washington, D.C. The 20,000-s.f. cross-cultural marketplace features more than a dozen businesses, from first-to-region restaurants to retail to rotating pop-ups. It is located in the Union Market District. Opening partners in La Cosecha include: • El Cielo—a pop-up of […]
Recommended: Kroger To Lay Off Hundreds, Turnaround Questioned
Kroger is laying off hundreds of employees across the family of grocery stores it owns, a person familiar with the situation tells CNBC. The unionized grocer, which also owns Harris Teeter, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, has 443,000 full-time and part-time employees. A spokeswoman for Kroger told CNBC in a statement that “As part of ongoing talent […]
Wegmans To Make N.C. Debut, Open 100th Store, In Raleigh Sept. 29
Wegmans will open its first North Carolina store Sunday, Sept. 29, at 1200 Wake Towne Drive in Raleigh. With the Raleigh opening, New York-based Wegmans will operate 100 stores New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland and Massachusetts. The North Carolina opening has been a long time coming for residents of Raleigh and surrounding areas. […]
Column: Consumer Demand For Fresh Products Expands Role Of HPP
by Brad Key, Universal Pure Consumers’ shopping and eating behavior is changing, with many spending more time shopping the perimeter of the store for fresh products. In line with this trend, the perimeter—which includes fresh meat, deli, produce, bakery, seafood and prepared foods—is reported to comprise up to 40 percent of a store’s footprint in […]
