The Network of Executive Women (NEW) is celebrating the Southern California Region chapter’s milestone 10th anniversary. The Southern California chapter NEW was founded by Sue Klug, Caroline Cotton Nakken and Amy Oates Fitzgerald in 2009. Since then, the SoCal Region chapter has grown to 1,100 members. For its 10-year anniversary, NEW is inviting members and […]
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.
Kellogg To Introduce Off The Grid Protein Waffle In 3 Flavors
Off the Grid, a Kellogg Co. brand, introduces a new waffle that provides 12g of complete protein per serving. The Off the Grid Protein Waffle comes in three flavors—Vanilla Buttermilk, Cinnamon Brown Sugar and Wild Blueberry. They will be available in the freezer aisle beginning in June. “Off the Grid waffles were created to deliver […]
Titan Farms Teaches Peach Growing To Florida First-Graders
Representatives from Titan Farms taught first-grade students at Lakewood Elementary School in Fort Pierce, Florida, about agriculture and peach-growing practices. South Carolina-based Titan Farms Sales Account Manager Sandra White, along with Florida peach farmer Adrian Morales from Riverside Citrus Harvesting, teamed up to teach students how peaches are grown. The community education opportunity came to […]
Wish Farms Anticipating June Boom Of Blackberries
Plant City, Florida-based Wish Farms is expecting a robust Southeast blackberry season. “We aligned ourselves with exceptional growers that allow us to provide great tasting varieties like PrimeArk 45, Osage, Ouachita and Natchez among others,” said Jose Saca, cane berry director for Wish Farms, an international grower and year-round marketer of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries. “We […]
Remembering Former Morris Alper Chairman Frederic Alper
(Editor’s note: Mr. Alper’s family recently requested that we share the news of his death, which occurred last summer.) Mr. Frederic M. Alper died Aug. 9, 2018, following a long illness. He was 79. Mr. Alper served as president and later chairman of Morris Alper Inc., one of the largest food brokerage companies in the […]
QuickChek Names Smyly, Kwiecien To Lead Culinary Team
QuickChek has appointed Chris Smyly as director of foodservice and has hired Chef Ted Kwiecien as culinary specialist. The Whitehouse Station, New Jersey-based fresh convenience market chain has been opening newly designed stores with more than half of each new store’s space dedicated to fresh foodservice. Smyly has been a senior category manager with the […]
7-Eleven Adds A New Slurpee Lite—Glaceau Vitaminwater Chill
A new Slurpee Lite drink is in town, and it’s the first glacéau vitaminwater Chill carried by 7-Eleven stores. The first featured flavor launched by 7-Eleven and glacéau is Blueberry Lavender. The periwinkle blue-colored frozen drink is naturally flavored, contains no sugar and has 20 calories per 8-oz. serving. “Botanical extracts really complement fruit flavors […]
Buehler’s Fresh Foods Launches Online Shopping Service
Buehler’s Fresh Foods’ new online shopping site is now live. The food retailer has enhanced its online grocery shopping service, adding some of the perks and conveniences suggested by customers. Customers at four Buehler’s locations can order groceries online for curbside pickup the same day. Locations include Wooster Milltown, Medina River Styx, Canton and Wadsworth, […]
GrubMarket Acquires San Diego Food Supplier VIP Wholesale
San Francisco-based GrubMarket has completed the acquisition of VIP Wholesale, a produce and specialty foods supplier to restaurants and grocery stores in San Diego. This is GrubMarket’s second Southern California acquisition in 2019 in alignment with its mission to “make fresh and healthy food accessible to everyone.” It works directly with small farmers to supply […]
Piggly Wiggly Midwest Stores Now Accepting Healthy Savings
Piggly Wiggly Midwest is now accepting the Healthy Savings wellness program at all locations. Healthy Savings is a national health and wellness program helping health insurers, employers, government entities and nonprofits make healthier foods more affordable. Partnering with more than 14,000 brands and stores, Healthy Savings allows members to save more than $50 weekly on healthier […]
Reese’s Ice Cream Cake Now Available In Grocery Stores
Reese’s Ice Cream Cake will roll out into select grocery stores across the country in time for “I Love Reese’s Day” on May 18. The cake is made with chocolate ice cream, chunks of real Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, a layer of Reese’s peanut butter and whipped icing with a Hershey’s chocolate drizzle on top. […]
Southeastern Grocers To Carry All 7 Flavors Of Willy’s Fresh Salsa
Southeastern Grocers has agreed to carry all seven flavors of Willy’s Fresh Salsa. Stores started receiving the product in April. Southeastern Grocers stores include Bi-Lo, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie. “We’re very excited to add Winn-Dixie to our growing list of distributors—and especially excited because Winn-Dixie becomes our first statewide Florida retailer,” said […]
Walmart Raises Tobacco Purchase Age To 21; Stops Some Flavor Sales
Walmart Inc. has raised the age for customers to purchase tobacco products and e-cigarettes to 21 years old and will stop selling some flavors of electronic nicotine products. Beginning July 1, anyone purchasing tobacco products at Walmart or Sam’s Club stores must be 21 years old. “There’s been a lot of discussion lately about how […]
Whole Foods Now Carrying Wayne Farms Chicken Line
Whole Foods Market is now carrying Naked Truth Premium Chicken in its meat departments at stores nationwide. Naked Truth Premium Chicken is produced by Oakwood, Georgia-based Wayne Farms LLC. The new, fully cooked, flash-frozen chicken products are all natural, meaning they contain no artificial ingredients, no preservatives, no nitrates or nitrites; 100 percent vegetarian diet […]
Pretzels Inc. To Expand Indiana Maufacturing Facility By 120,000 S.F.
Pretzels Inc. plans to expand its manufacturing facility in Plymouth, Indiana, by adding 120,000 s.f. The manufacturing expansion is designed to increase capacity across a range of products and capabilities. “This expansion exemplifies Pretzels’ commitment to exceed our customers’ expectations by significantly enhancing our capabilities and capacity,” said Greg Pearson, CEO of Pretzels Inc. “Pretzels’ […]
Farmer Bros. CEO Keown Out; Mottern Named Interim CEO
Christopher P. Mottern, who has served as a director on the Farmer Bros. Co. board since 2013, has been appointed to serve as interim CEO, succeeding Michael Keown who, by mutual agreement with the board, stepped down as company president, CEO and director. The change was effective May 7. Farmer Bros. Co. is a Northlake, […]
Lip Smacker, Crayola Create Lip Line With Flavor And Color
Two popular American brands have combined to create the Lip Smacker x Crayola collection. The collection pairs Lip Smacker’s popular best flavors with Crayola crayon colors. The Lip Smacker x Crayola Collection includes a five-piece liquid lip gloss party pack, a lip balm trio and an eight-piece lip balm party pack. “At Lip Smacker, our […]
Nestlé To Close Eight DCs, Transition To Warehouse Model
Nestlé USA will exit its company-owned frozen direct-store-delivery (DSD) network for its pizza and ice cream businesses and transition to a warehouse model. The company says the change will leverage the warehouse network that Nestlé already uses for its frozen meals and snacks. The phased transition will commence in the third quarter of 2019 and […]
Hain Celestial Sells WestSoy Brand To Keystone Natural
Hain Celestial Group Inc., an organic and natural products company with operations in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, has completed the divestiture of the WestSoy tofu, seitan and tempeh businesses to Keystone Natural Holdings, a portfolio company of Keystone Capital focusing on plant-based food. The strategic divestiture did not include the WestSoy […]
Mars Wrigley Seeking Retailers For Merchandising Solutions Program
Mars Wrigley Confectionery U.S. is making known the 2019 innovative merchandising incubator, a national program to provide retailers with the opportunity to receive merchandising solutions and drive sales. One to two retailers will be chosen to have a relationship with Mars Wrigley Confectionery to develop a customized test-and-learn solution aimed at tackling shopping challenges facing […]
