Boulder, Colorado-based Love The Wild, purveyors of farm-raised, freshly frozen seafood kits, and champions for sustainable aquaculture, has added new investors to round out its previously announced Series A funding round. Joining Aqua-Spark, an investment fund that seeks to address the planet’s health and food security, and existing angel investors were individuals, including Academy-Award winner […]
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.
Nestlé Waters North America Names New CEO
Fernando Mercé has been named president and CEO of Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA), effective May 1. Mercé, formerly CEO of Nestlé Purina Latin America & Caribbean, will oversee all NWNA’s operations in both the U.S. and Canada. Mercé also will serve as a member of the global Nestlé Waters board of directors. “I am delighted […]
Publix Sets Sights On Growing Its GreenWise Market Stores
Publix Super Markets plans to “reignite” its GreenWise store concept, the company said March 31. The first newly redesigned GreenWise will be located near Florida State University at the southwest corner of Gaines Street and Railroad Avenue in Tallahassee, Florida, and is expected to debut in late 2018. “We are committed to being the retailer […]
Supermarkets Rank Tops For Customer Experience
Publix, H-E-B and Hannaford deliver the best customer experience in the supermarket industry. That’s according to the 2017 Temkin Experience Ratings, an annual customer experience ranking of companies based on a survey of 10,000 U.S. consumers. This year, supermarkets earned the two highest scores in the entire Ratings. With a score of 84 percent, Publix not […]
Mars Says It Will Invest $70M In U.S. Manufacturing
Mars Chocolate North America said Thursday that it will make a $70 million reinvestment in its U.S. supply chain, adding approximately 250 new jobs to sites across the country. The move ensures that more than 95 percent of Mars’ chocolate products for the U.S. are made in America, according to the Hackettstown, New Jersey-based company. […]
Del Monte Fresh Produce Rolls Out Pre-Measured Smoothie Kits
Del Monte Fresh Produce is introducing its Del Monte Smoothie Kit product line. The smoothies are available in a variety of sizes at select locations across North America, in four varieties: • Antioxidant: Strawberries, Red Apples and Blueberries; • Super Fruit: Strawberries, Kiwi, Mangoes and Blueberries; • Energizer: Strawberries, Red Grapes, Carrots, Mangoes, Red Peppers and […]
Vowell’s Market Place Launches ‘Shop, Drop & Roll’ Online Shopping Service
Mississippi’s Vowell’s Market Place is adding online shopping at its stores in Forest, Byram and Starkville. The service, named “Shop, Drop & Roll Powered by Rosie” will allow customers to shop online (excluding alcohol and tobacco products) in the stores and have those items available for pickup within three hours. The service launches April 5. […]
Who Is Most Likely To Grocery Shop Online?
Although online grocery shoppers can be found across all demographic groups, they are more likely to be younger men, age 18-44, according to a recent report on online grocery shopping by The NPD Group. Amazon Prime members and young adults are other groups more likely to grocery shop online, finds “The Virtual Grocery Store” report. The […]
Land O’Lakes Acquires Vermont Creamery
Vermont Creamery has been purchased by Land O’Lakes Inc., a farmer-owned co-op based in Arden Hills, Minnesota. Vermont Creamery will become an independently operated subsidiary of Land O’Lakes and will continue to produce its fresh and aged goat cheeses, cultured butter and fresh dairy at the creamery in Websterville, Vermont. The terms of the transaction were […]
Giumarra Forecasts Excellent Vidalia Onion Volumes This Spring
Vidalia onion season officially kicks off April 12, according to the Vidalia Onion Committee—and Giumarra Southeast says it is offering promotable volumes of the summer favorite, packaged in the Nature’s Partner brand. Shipments will begin the third week of April and continue through the end of July. “Growing conditions in South Georgia have led to […]
Key Trends Shaping The Future Of Grocery Retailing
The U.S. food retailing business has never been more competitive, and there are a number of trends putting pressure on food retailers of all stripes—from supermarkets whose bread and butter is groceries to supercenters and drugstores for which food is a smaller but still crucial part of the product mix. That’s according to “The Future of […]
C&S Donates Nearly 700K Cartons Of Milk To Food Banks
C&S Wholesale Grocers has donated nearly 700,000 cartons of shelf-stable milk to Feeding America food banks to support child nutrition programs. The milk is being distributed through School Pantry and BackPack programs operated by local food banks. Gina Goff, senior director of community involvement for C&S, says the company worked with local food banks in […]
Connecticut’s Inline Plastics Expands
Inline Plastics Corp., Shelton, Connecticut, has expanded and increased manufacturing capabilities in response to what it calls the continued growth of food packaging products. Inline Plastics is a manufacturer of crystal clear PET clamshell and two-piece packaging. Inline Plastics’ packaging is used in fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, salads, a variety of grab-and-go foods, baked goods and […]
New England C-Store Chain Owner And Former Gubernatorial Candidate Passes Away
Two-time Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Mr. Christy Mihos, 67, the former owner of Christy’s convenience stores, died March 25 in Stuart, Florida, following a recent cancer diagnosis. Christy’s once had 144 stores in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine. Most of the stores were sold to 7-Eleven. Mr. Mihos served as vice chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike […]
Five Steps To Cut Spoilage And Reduce Losses
by Michael Falck/co-founder and U.S. president, RELEX Solutions Special to The Shelby Report According to a 2016 report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, shrink loss in fresh fruit, vegetables and meat items continues to increase despite advances in food technologies. In the same report, the USDA found that in 2011-12, the average loss estimate […]
Americans Increasingly Choose Fueling Locations Based On Quality Of Food At The Gas Station
Americans are increasingly seeking out fueling locations based on the quality of the food associated with the gas station, according to new national survey results released by NACS. The association represents the convenience store industry, which sells 80 percent of the fuel purchased in the U.S. While survey results show that gas price is still the […]
Arizona Food Marketing Alliance Hosts Annual Golf Classic
The Arizona Food Marketing Alliance (AFMA) hosted its annual Golf Classic at the We-Ko-Pa Golf Club in the East Valley on March 23. This year’s sold-out event attracted more than 300 golfers, including AFMA’s retail partners and their premier vendors. With 12 sampling holes on the courses, vendors were able to connect with their grocery […]
Publix Names VP Of Real Estate Strategy
Publix Super Markets has promoted Bob Balcerak to VP of real estate strategy, effective April 3. “Promoting associates from within the company is one of the ways we perpetuate our Publix culture,” said CEO and President Todd Jones. “Bob will play a critical role as we continue our focus on store growth.” Balcerak, 56, started […]
NGA Aligns Its Fall Leadership Meetings With NACS Show
The National Grocers Association (NGA) is aligning its Fall Leadership Meetings comprised of the Trading Partner Business Sessions and Financial Management and Technology Conference with the NACS Show, which will take place Oct. 17-20 in Chicago. The strategic partnership brings together the leading small format and independent retailers to explore emerging trends in foodservice, consumer packaged […]
Festival Foods Recognizes Business Partner Of The Year
Festival Foods annually recognizes a key business partner who had a significant impact on its ability to provide outstanding service to customers over the past year. The grocer’s 2016 Business Partner of the Year is dairy product supplier Kemps. Festival Foods says it and Kemps share the philosophy of providing quality products at an exceptional value […]
