by Matt Ott, president and CEO, Global Cold Chain Alliance As much of the world continues to shelter in place, essential workers at every link of the global cold supply chain are working tirelessly to get food to our dinner tables. From product storage and packaging to seamless cold chain transit, from shipping to reliable point-of-sale […]
Author Archives: Mary Margaret Stewart
Mary Margaret is a former Staff Writer at The Shelby Report.
Posted inCOVID News, Home Page Slider, Shelby Originals, Southeast
Market Profile: Grant’s IGA Store Locations Serve As ‘Lifeline’ To Their Communities
Co-owner: Many towns would be ‘food deserts if we weren’t there’ by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer The way Ron Martin sees it, small-town local grocery stores like those operated by Virginia-based Grant’s IGA are “a lifeline to the community.” Without them, many towns would be left without access to fresh food. Grant is president and […]
Posted inROFDA Reports, Home Page Slider, Shelby Originals, Southwest
Randy Arceneaux: Board Members’ Weekly Calls ‘Helped Us To Build An Even Closer Bond’
by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer As far as Randy Arceneaux is concerned, Affiliated Foods Inc. of Amarillo’s retail partners have been the frontline heroes throughout the coronavirus pandemic. “They are taking care of feeding America,” said Arceneaux, the company’s president and CEO. “All of the protocols they had to put in place in order […]
Posted inROFDA Reports, Home Page Slider, Shelby Originals, Southeast
Manard Lagasse: ROFDA Really Does ‘Some Outstanding Things’
by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer Across the landscape of 2020 – COVID and all – Manard Lagasse Jr. is proudest of retailers’ consistent approach to business through such a difficult time. “We’re in a lot of small communities, and their customers rely on their local grocery stores. Our retailers did everything they could to service […]
Posted inROFDA Reports, Home Page Slider, Shelby Originals, West
Ray Sprinkle: Camaraderie Is Key – ‘Bottom Line…We’re All Facing The Same Thing’
by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer The grocery industry was not prepared for the volume jump that came with the unprecedented coronavirus outbreak. To see it happen nationally, said Ray Sprinkle, was unprecedented. Disasters that affect volume, such as earthquakes or hurricanes, typically occur regionally. Demand was at an all-time high in the spring. However, […]
Posted inROFDA Reports, Amazon Fresh, Home Page Slider, Midwest, Shelby Originals, Whole Foods
Amy Niemetscheck: The Local Story – ‘Our Stores Can Continue To Find Those Connections’
by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer The state of Wisconsin was looking grim in March, according to Amy Niemetscheck. A state mandate took effect rapidly in light of the COVID-19 outbreak. “Our back office, within five days, went from not having a work-from-home policy to quickly adapting,” she said of Certco Inc., where she is […]
Posted inPrivate Label Brands, Dairy News, Home Page Slider, National, Plant-Based News, Shelby Originals
Sorensen: Building A Strategic Private Label Plan For Milk, Plant-Based Beverages
by Cindy Sorensen/founder, The Grocery Group I just returned from a visit to a local grocery store. What I found to be most interesting as I reviewed the milk and plant-based beverage department is this retailer, like most others, has responded with a private label selection that matches national and local brand milk and plant-based products, […]
Posted inCenter Store, Amazon Fresh, Home Page Slider, National, Shelby Originals, Whole Foods
Profile: Meet Sydney Wicklacz With Kraft Heinz Co.
The Shelby Report and The Grocery Group together present this series, People to Watch, to focus on current and future leadership in the grocery industry. In this installment, Grocery Group Founder and CEO Cindy Sorensen interviews Sydney Wicklacz, associate customer category manager with the Kraft Heinz Co. I first met Sydney when she was a […]
Posted inNonfood Items, Home Page Slider, West
Supermarket Industry Loses Visionary Ben Schwartz At 103
The grocery industry lost a giant on Oct. 1, 2020, with the death of Ben Schwartz at age 103. Mr. Schwartz was born in Philadelphia on July 8, 1917. According to his obituary, he was raised in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, where he worked at his father’s corner grocery store from an […]
Posted inPrivate Label Brands, COVID News, Home Page Slider, National, Shelby Originals
IGA Pleased With Popularity Of Its Label In Marketplace
New look, pandemic have boosted sales by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer This is the first article in a three-part series by The Shelby Report on private label brands. The Independent Grocers Alliance recently finished a renaissance of its private label brand, which timed well with the surge in grocery sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. One […]
Posted inPrivate Label Brands, COVID News, Home Page Latest News, National, Shelby Originals
Savings, Supply Shortages Turn Shoppers To Private Brands
Majority of items ‘comparable if not better’ by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer This is the second article in a three-part series by The Shelby Report on private label brands. Affiliated Foods Amarillo is having an “incredible year” in private brand sales, according to the president and CEO of the Amarillo, Texas-based wholesaler, Randy Arceneaux. Year-to-date, […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Amazon Fresh, Home Page Slider, National, Shelby Originals, Whole Foods
Column: Supermarkets Should Consider Firing Up That Recommendation Engine
by Katie Hotze, CEO of Grocery Shopii Predictive analytics has exploded on the scene in grocery retail, with Amazon delivering a master class on the power of predictive technology that motivates shoppers to buy more product more often when the suggestive pairings are done for them. Late last year, McKinsey & Company reported that more […]
Posted inNonfood Items, Home Page Slider, Northeast, Shelby Originals
Market Profile: Pennington Quality Market Is Very Much A Family Business
Rothwell brings his experience to join his father’s dream by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer Growing up, Mike Rothwell knew exactly what he wanted to do – work in the food industry. As a kid, he worked alongside his dad, Larry, who was an executive for The Fleming Company, before spreading his wings to pursue the […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Home Page Slider, Southeast
FPL Food Becoming Southeastern Beef Processing Leader
Augusta, Georgia-based FPL Food, a vertically integrated beef processor, recently announced that it has secured an initial round of financing to expand its Augusta operation. This initial round is part of the company’s multi-phased plan to expand and rebuild the harvest and fabrication facility to further solidify its position as the Southeastern U.S. beef processing leader. […]
Posted inNonfood Items, Home Page Latest News, Shelby Originals, Southwest
Market Profile: At Shelton’s Grocery, Goal Is ‘To Keep People Shopping In Small Towns’
Good family also operates Walters Hometown Grocery in neighboring community by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer Jena Good’s parents, Stan and Cherryl, purchased Shelton’s Grocery in Waurika, Oklahoma, in 1999, right before her ninth birthday. And ever since then, she’s been in the stores. “When we first purchased Shelton’s, my dad was still working at Goodyear. […]
Posted inCOVID News, Home Page Slider, Shelby Originals, Southeast
Market Profile: Staffing Was A Challenge For Lowcountry Grocers
by John McCurry, contributing writer Lynn Willard formed Lowcountry Grocers in 2014. The company began with six stores, all in the eastern half of South Carolina, and has gradually grown to 12 locations. Willard said there has been a large learning curve during the pandemic. As is the case with many grocers, the big challenge […]
Posted inCOVID News, Home Page Latest News, Shelby Originals, Southeast
Market Profile: Fairvalue Owner Hails Guidance, Leadership Of IGA
by John McCurry, contributing writer Fairvalue has been the prominent independent grocer in Caldwell County, North Carolina, for more than 75 years. The company currently operates stores in Lenoir and Granite Falls. Shawn Yambor is the current owner, following in the footsteps of his father, who had a long career in the industry. Yambor’s parents purchased […]
Posted inPiggly Wiggly, COVID News, Home Page Latest News, Shelby Originals, Southeast
Market Profile: Piggly Wiggly Keeping Pace With Pandemic Challenges, Changes
Manufacturers don’t ‘see this going away’ until late 2021 by John McCurry, contributing writer James Messer knows the grocery business. The Lenoir, North Carolina, native has spent the past 45 years in the industry. Now president of Piggly Wiggly North Carolina LLC, he oversees 38 stores in the eastern part of the state. Without doubt […]
Posted inShelby Originals, Home Page Slider, National, Snacks Brands
National Confectioners Association Generating ‘Positive Brand Identity’
Downs-led organization touts Always A Treat campaign by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer The new focus of the National Confectioners Association is on four goals – advocacy communication, trends and disruptions, thought leadership and financial strength. According to John Downs, the NCA’s president and CEO, these aspects “matter the most to the confectionery industry.” And […]
Posted inPackaging News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, Midwest, Shelby Originals
Sorensen: Take A Look At Closed Loop Recycling For Produce Packing And Shipping
by Cindy Sorensen/founder, The Grocery Group Consumers have a plethora of choices in the grocery store today. Manufacturers have responded to consumer research to ideate and develop products that will meet changing consumer tastes, trends and demands. Retailers, too, had to change their merchandising, assortment and pricing strategies to meet the demands of shoppers. The power […]