Associated Supermarket Group (ASG) has added Kalam’s Bazaar and Shop Fresh Food Supermarket to its family of independent grocers in New York City. The stores are backed by ASG’s full suite of support services, ranging from marketing and merchandising to distribution and store financing. Kalam’s Bazaar Located in the Ozone Park neighborhood of Queens, the […]
Author Archives: Shelby Report Staff

The Shelby Report newsroom covers the grocery industry for retailers, wholesalers and suppliers. Staff reports include store openings, executive appointments, company announcements and industry event coverage. Since 1967, The Shelby Report has covered supermarkets, grocery chains and independent grocers through five regional editions.
McNiff To Succeed Van Helden As Stater Bros. CEO
Stater Bros. Markets President and COO Greg McNiff has been appointed CEO and president of the company while his predecessor, Pete Van Helden, will remain in the role of executive chairman of the board of directors. Both appointments will be effective on Sept. 29. All functional areas of the company will report to McNiff. “I’ve […]
Outgoing EVP: From Get-Go, Associated Grocers Has Been ‘All About Service’
Carl Marks, EVP and chief strategy officer at Associated Grocers, will retire in October, marking the close of 27 years with the company across two distinct tenures. Marks initially joined Associated Grocers in 1988, having started his career in the grocery industry “sort of accidentally” at a small wholesaler in Alexandria, Louisiana, followed by a […]
IGA, Flashfood Partner To Help Independents Reduce Shrink, Feed Communities
The Independent Grocers Alliance has begun a Red Oval partnership with Flashfood, an app-based marketplace that will allow IGA retailers to offer fresh groceries in surplus or nearing their best-by date at significant discounts to shoppers. Through the partnership, IGA retailers can integrate Flashfood’s digital platform into their stores, gaining access to technology that reduces […]
Azalea Fresh Market Opens As Atlanta’s First Municipal Grocery Store
Atlanta, in partnership with Invest Atlanta and Savi Provisions, has opened Azalea Fresh Market, a first-of-its-kind municipal grocery store in the city’s downtown. Located in the historic and repurposed Olympia Building, Azalea officially opened to the public Sept. 8. On that first day, the store welcomed 728 customers and brought in several thousands of dollars […]
UNFI Debuts Distribution Center In Sarasota, FL
As part of a strategy to deliver more value for its partners through improved operational effectiveness and efficiency, UNFI has opened the Sarasota North Distribution Center in Florida. Employees from UNFI’s former Sarasota facility have transitioned to the 1 million-square-foot facility, where they benefit from a more advanced and associate-centered environment. Sarasota North is UNFI’s first […]
AWG Rebrands, Expands Best Choice Brand With Superior Selections Line
Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. (AWG) has rebranded and extended its elevated private brand with the launch of Superior Selections by Best Choice. Introduced in 2000 as Best Choice Superior Selections, the brand began as a multi-serve frozen entrée program with 12 items. Over the years, it has grown into a line of 125 products, including sauces, […]
KeHE Distributors Expands Partnership With Total Wine & More
KeHE Distributors has expanded its distribution partnership with Total Wine & More, an independent retailer of wine, beer and spirits. What began as a regional initiative has evolved into a nationwide program, with KeHE serving as the primary distributor for Total Wine’s specialty grocery categories across all 283 superstores in 29 states. This strengthened relationship will […]
Publix Inks Lease For First Downtown Jacksonville Store
Gateway Jax, a commercial real estate development firm, has signed a lease with Publix as the full-service grocery anchor for Pearl Square, a mixed-use neighborhood planned for downtown Jacksonville, Florida. Located at 119 W. Beaver St., between Hogan and Laura streets, the Publix will total 31,000 square feet. The project also will include a 15-story […]
FMI, NGA, NACS Call On Congress To Address SNAP EBT Transaction Fees
FMI – The Food Industry Association, the National Grocers Association (NGA) and the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) sent a letter to the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committees signed by more than 1,000 businesses and organizations calling on Congress to protect customers and retailers by prohibiting additional fees from being […]
D’Amour Named Big Y Senior Director, Supermarket Operations
Big Y Foods Inc. has appointed Christian P. D’Amour senior director of supermarket operations, where he will be responsible for overseeing its five supermarket districts, ensuring operational excellence across all locations. A third-generation D’Amour family member, he is a grandson of Big Y co-founder Gerald E. D’Amour and son of Executive Chairman Charles L. D’Amour. He […]
Ark Foods To Showcase Full Produce Lineup At Southern Innovations
Ark Foods will be exhibiting at booth No. 504 during the SEPC Southern Innovations Conference Sept. 10-13 in Charlotte, North Carolina. “We set out to change how people think about fresh food,” said Ark Foods CEO Noah Robbins. “What started with a single vegetable – the Shishito pepper – has grown into a diverse portfolio […]
IBIE 2025: What To Expect At The Industry’s Largest Baking Event
The International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) returns to Las Vegas Sept. 13-17, bringing together more than 1,000 manufacturers and suppliers from around the globe to discover the latest advancements shaping the future of baking and food manufacturing. Education remains a cornerstone of IBIE, with its largest program yet featuring more than 250 IBIEducate sessions and […]
Wayne-Sanderson Farms Acquires Harrison Poultry
Wayne-Sanderson Farms has acquired fellow Georgia-based chicken producer Harrison Poultry, which is known for its “Golden Goodness” range of traditional, international and halal poultry products. The sale is effective immediately and includes transfer of all Harrison Poultry assets to Wayne-Sanderson Farms, including live production, hatchery, feed mill, manufacturing, production and transportation facilities and equipment in […]
One Banana Opens Produce Distribution Center In Wilmington, NC
One Banana, a family-owned, vertically integrated produce company, has opened a new ripening and distribution center in Wilmington, North Carolina. Located 12 miles from the Port of Wilmington, the 19,800-square-foot refrigerated facility is designed to serve customers across the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic. The company said the center represents a significant investment in modern produce […]
Logile Helps Schnucks With Fresh Food Management Solutions
Schnucks Markets has implemented Logile Inc.’s Fresh Item Management Solutions across its 114-store network, enhancing the efficiency and precision of fresh food operations. Through the partnership, Schnucks is using automation to refine production forecasting and inventory management, reducing inefficiencies and delivering a seamless in-store experience. Schnucks has adopted a data-driven and automated approach that eliminates […]
Rise Baking Co. Plans To Remove Synthetic Colors By End Of 2026
Rise Baking Co. has commited to eliminate synthetic colors from products across its portfolio by the end of 2026. This milestone reflects the company’s focus on meeting evolving customer and consumer expectations without sacrificing quality, taste or performance. The majority of the company’s products don’t use synthetic colors, and the work is well underway to […]
Mama’s Creations Acquires Fresh Protein Manufacturer Crown I Enterprises
Mama’s Creations Inc. has acquired all of the assets of Crown I Enterprises Inc., a full-service manufacturer of value-added proteins and ready-to-eat meals and wholly-owned subsidiary of Sysco Corp. Crown brings about $56 million in profitable annual revenue to Mama’s Creations based on results for the fiscal year ended June 28, increasing the company’s sales […]
Lidl U.S. CEO To Keynote PLMA’s 2025 Trade Show
Joel Rampoldt, CEO of Lidl U.S., will deliver the keynote address at PLMA’s 2025 Private Label Trade Show, to be held Nov. 16-18 in Chicago. Themed “Store Brands Marketplace,” the show will feature more than 35,000 food and nonfood products, 3,100 booths and 2,000 exhibitors representing 65 countries. A business leader with a track record […]
Fareway Raises $400K For Muscular Dystrophy Association
Fareway Stores Inc. has raised more than $400,000 through two fundraisers – the MDA Shamrocks Round Up campaign and the Fareway MDA Golf Classic – to support the the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s mission to fund research, care and advocacy across Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Illinois, Nebraska and Missouri. The February roundup campaign, part of MDA’s […]
