Federated Group, which will celebrate its 90th year in business this December, brought its annual show back to a historic landmark, The Drake Hotel in Chicago. Federated Group takes over the luxurious venue and invites attendees, many of whom return every year, to catch up with a first-night cocktail reception. Jen Linke, VP of brand […]
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.
Welch’s, Global Beverage Unite To Expand Welch’s Soda Business
Concord, Massachusetts-based grape juice manufacturer Welch’s and Global Beverage Corp., a New Jersey-based soft drink company, are collaborating to expand the Welch’s soda line with new flavors and formats that are designed to “bring Welch’s to prominence in the carbonated soft drink industry.” The companies intend to relaunch the soda line with classic Welch’s flavors like grape, white grape, […]
Tops, PepsiCo And Feed The Children Aid 800 Rochester Families
Tops Friendly Markets and PepsiCo have partnered with Feed the Children to provide 800 families in need in Rochester, New York, with a week’s worth of food and essentials—enough supplies to fill two large semi-trucks. “We know families are beginning to prepare for a new school year and we want to help them get off to a […]
BeaconUnited Expands Coverage For Walmart And Sam’s Club
BeaconUnited, a New Jersey-based service sales and marketing agency for the CPG industry, recently announced that Arena is joining it to deliver branding and sales solutions for Walmart and Sam’s Club. Arena was founded by Dan Arnsperger, a veteran in the CPG industry with years of experience developing and launching new products. The company offers sales […]
Organic Trade Association Forms Anti-Fraud Task Force
The recent detection of fraudulent organic grains from Turkey in the U.S. has prompted the Organic Trade Association (OTA) to form a task force to develop a best-practices guide for the private sector in an effort to crack down on future incidents. The OTA said the Global Organic Supply Chain Integrity Task Force is perhaps […]
Aldi Pilots Grocery Delivery With Instacart In Three Cities
Aldi is partnering with Instacart to pilot grocery delivery from its stores in Atlanta, Dallas and Los Angles. The new partnership allows customers to complete their grocery shopping by ordering Aldi products for delivery in as little as one hour. The service will launch in the three cities later this month, with potential for future expansion, […]
Q&A With Supervalu’s New West Region Wholesale President Leon Bergmann
Leon Bergmann has been named president of West Region Wholesale for Supervalu, effective immediately. “Leon’s experience at both Unified (Grocers) and Supervalu will allow him to hit the ground running as we incorporate customers from the western United States into the larger Supervalu family of retailers. I’m thrilled he has accepted this opportunity to be […]
Ingles Posts FY 3Q, Nine-Month Results
Ingles Markets has reported sales and net income for the three and nine months ended June 24. The three-month period ended June 2017 benefitted from extra Easter sales, according to the Asheville, North Carolina-based grocery chain. Easter occurred in April 2017 and benefitted third quarter 2017 sales. Easter occurred in March 2016, in the company’s […]
MGA Recognizes Oleson’s, Lipari With Outstanding Achievement Awards
Michigan Grocers Association (MGA) has named Oleson’s Food Stores in northern Michigan and Lipari Foods, headquartered in Warren, as its 2017 Al Kessel Outstanding Achievement Award winners. “The award is named to honor former MGA Director Albert F. ‘Al’ Kessel Jr., who passed away in 2012,” said MGA President & CEO Linda M. Gobler. “Al […]
Latino Food Industry Association Forms
The Latino Food Industry Association (LFIA) has formed to serve members and educate the public and policymakers on the contributions and economic impact being made by Latino-owned food businesses. “Given the Hispanic market’s $1.5 trillion in annual buying power and the rapid growth of Hispanic-owned businesses in the food and beverage segment, many of our […]
Harris Teeter Launches HT ‘Home Town’ Local Products Campaign
A recent study conducted by Concentric found that 77 percent of Harris Teeter shoppers would be more likely to purchase a product if they knew that it had been produced locally. When asked why local products appealed to them, shoppers said, “I want to support my local community”; “Local brands feel exclusive to my area”; and […]
Oregon Becomes Fifth State To Raise Smoking Age To 21
Oregon on Aug. 9 became the fifth state to prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone under age 21 as Gov. Kate Brown signed the measure into law. The legislature approved the bill in July. Tobacco 21 laws also have been enacted by California, Hawaii, New Jersey, Maine and at least 255 cities and […]
Former Target Exec Takes Over As CEO Of Fiesta Mart As Byars Steps Down
Houston-based Fiesta Mart has appointed Sid Keswani as its new CEO. He replaces Mike Byars. Keswani has extensive retail background and a proven track record of success, according to Fiesta. He previously served 19 years at Target Corp., rising to the rank SVP. Prior to working with Target, Keswani served as SVP of operations for Susser Holdings, […]
Ahold Delhaize Reports Strong Second Quarter Results
Ahold Delhaize this week reported strong second quarter 2017 results, driven by an improvement in sales and merger synergies resulting in higher margins, according to the company. Dick Boer, CEO of Ahold Delhaize, said, “We are pleased to report a strong set of results. Sales improved across the board and the group’s underlying operating margin increased […]
Multi-State Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Mexican Papayas
As of Aug. 4, 109 people—including many residents in the Northeast—had been infected with Salmonella strains. The CDC has linked the outbreak with papayas imported from Mexico. Victims have been reported from 16 states, including New York (36) and New Jersey (26), Pennsylvania (7), Maryland (6) and Massachusetts (3). Ill people also have been reported in Connecticut, […]
NACS Cites ‘Significant Flaws’ With Final Menu-Labeling Rule
The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) and the Society of Independent Gasoline Marketers of America (SIGMA) have filed their comments with the FDA regarding menu labeling. The chief NACS concern is comparison of c-stores to chain restaurants. “The final rule contains significant flaws, many of which stem from that fact that the regulations appear to have been […]
Maine Legislators Override Governor To Up Smoking Age To 21
Next July, Maine will become the fourth state to increase its smoking age to 21. Maine legislators voted to overturn Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of the measure. LePage had objected to the bill, labeling it as trying to “engineer our lives.” He also said it wasn’t fair to ask 18-year-olds to join the military and […]
Accident Doesn’t Hinder Tom Schmutz From Opening Save-A-Lot In Herrin, Illinois
Since it opened in early May, sales have been better at Tom Schmutz’s new store in Herrin, Illinois, than what Save-A-Lot projected. “When the mayor toured our store, he said there was a lot of buzz around it,” Schmutz said. “He asked if we were going to have fresh meat with cutters. I took him […]
AWG’s Fort Worth DC Hits The Sale Block
Associated Wholesale Grocers’ (AWG) Fort Worth, Texas, warehouse officially is on the market. The announcement comes after the wholesaler said last month that it would close its Fort Worth division. CBRE’s National Food Facilities Group, consisting of Kevin Kelly, David Sours and Lucy Durbin, has been retained to exclusively market the former AWG distribution center at […]
Stater Bros. Markets Expands Instacart Service
Stater Bros. Markets is expanding its Instacart service in Orange County, Long Beach, San Diego and Simi Valley. Beginning Tuesday, Stater Bros. will expand this service to locations covering zip codes in areas of the Inland Empire, the San Gabriel Valley, the Low Desert and Los Angeles. These zip codes include: 90713, 90715, 90716, 90670, 90701, 90623, 90621, […]
