by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Southwest The population of Dallas-Fort Worth hit 7.3 million in mid-January. That is one million more people than were counted in the 2010 U.S. Census. The number also includes nearly a half-million unauthorized immigrants, according to the Pew Research Center. It found that most of the 11.1 million unauthorized immigrants living in 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.
One In Three Shoppers Forecasted To Order Groceries Online This Year
“E-grocery” is growing fast and is here to stay, as 31 percent of U.S. shoppers are expected to order groceries online in 2017, up from 19 percent in 2016. That’s according to Unata’s 2017 Grocery eCommerce Forecast. The report from Unata, which provides digital solutions for grocers, was completed in partnership with Brick Meets Click. It surveyed more […]
Publix Posts 4Q And Annual Increases
Publix’s sales for the fourth quarter of 2016, a 14-week period, were $9.1 billion, an 11.1 percent increase from the previous year’s $8.2 billion, a 13-week period. The additional week in the fourth quarter of 2016 increased sales by 7.4 percent. Comparable-store sales for the fourth quarter of 2016 increased 2.2 percent. Net earnings for […]
FDA Revamps Nutrition Facts Label For Packaged Foods
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently finalized a new Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods and beverages to better help consumers make informed food choices that support a healthy diet. Manufacturers will need to use the new label by July 26, 2018, and small businesses will have an additional year to comply. During […]
Study: Demand For Pouches Used In Meat Packaging To Grow 5.3 Percent Annually
Demand for pouches used in meat packaging is forecasted to climb 5.3 percent per year to $220 million in 2021, with unit gains expected to advance 3 percent per year to 1.6 billion units. Above average gains will be driven by the growing preference for products that make meal preparation more convenient. These and other trends are […]
Kroger’s 50-Plus Consecutive Quarters Of ID Sales Growth Ends
The Kroger Co.’s record 52 consecutive quarters of positive identical supermarket sales, excluding fuel, has ended as, on Thursday, the Cincinnati-based grocery chain reported that ID sales, without fuel, were down 0.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016, which ended Jan. 28. The company reported net earnings of $0.53 per diluted share for the […]
Pepsi Blames Philadelphia Soda Tax For Job Cuts
Pepsi said Wednesday that it is cutting 80 to 100 jobs in Philadelphia and laid blame on the city’s beverage tax that took effect Jan. 1. The layoffs reportedly will happen over the next few months and impact frontline and supervisory positions. Pepsi employs a total of 423 people in the area, where it has […]
Harmons CFO Dies At 56, Services To Be Held Thursday
Mr. John Ward, executive board member and CFO for Harmons Grocery Stores of Utah, passed away unexpectedly Feb. 22. He was 56. Funeral services will be held Thursday, March 2. “In his 17 years of service to Harmons, John’s dedication and commitment have played an integral part in the company’s success and growth,” said Harmons […]
New Bfresh Leader Named
Stop & Shop has appointed Dean Wilkinson bfresh lead at its Fresh Formats division. “Dean brings years of retail operational experience, and he will be a valuable resource as we develop new and innovative format opportunities,” said Stop & Shop President Mark McGowan. “We are proud of the excellent work of the Fresh Formats team […]
Kroger’s Virginia Dairy Manufactures Sustainable Milk Jug
A dairy in Virginia is the first in the Kroger organization to roll out a new lightweight gallon milk jug that the company says helps sustain the environment. Kroger’s Westover Dairy in Lynchburg has manufactured 6.2 million gallon jugs since September for milk, water, juice and tea products and is distributing them to 92 Kroger […]
Brookshire’s World Record Attempt Will Help Feed Thousands
Brookshire Grocery Co. (BGC) completed its attempt to break a world record on Feb. 24 at the East Texas Food Bank (ETFB) by building the world’s largest canned food pyramid. Community volunteers stacked 36,000 cans over a period of four days to create the 12-ft. pyramid. The cans used for construction were donated to the […]
New Jersey Food Council To Host Night Of Distinction On March 23
The New Jersey Food Council (NJFC) will host its annual Night of Distinction reception at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 23, at The Palace at Somerset Park in Somerset, New Jersey. The event is expected to draw more than 500 guests, who will enjoy dinner, live music and a silent auction that supports the NJFC Educational Development […]
Albertsons Pharmacists In Select States Use Narcan For Opioid Overdoses
More than half of the states in which Albertsons Cos. operates have taken action to halt the rise in opioid-related deaths by passing legislation to allow pharmacies to dispense the opioid antagonist naloxone, or Narcan, without a prescription. That is, in part, why Albertsons Cos. has specially trained nearly 3,000 pharmacists to administer the FDA-approved Narcan Nasal […]
Four Generations Open Fourth Edwards Cash Saver
Four generations of the Edwards family attended the grand opening of their new Edwards Cash Saver in Beebe, Arkansas, on Feb. 1. Patriarch Oral Edwards, founder of the Edwards grocery chain, cut the ribbon as company president, Steve Edwards, welcomed a crowd to the new store. The first 100 customers received a bag full of Best […]
Décorworx Aims To Help Independents Differentiate
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor–Midwest and Southwest Utah-based Décorworx creates beautiful shopping environments, and it has done so for humongous grocery and mass merchandise stores. But the whole dynamic of the company changed when a conscious decision was made to turn its focus to independent grocers, Jeff Dansie, president and owner, tells The Shelby Report. “We […]
Remke Markets Sold, Fresh Encounter To Manage
Fresh Encounter will take over management of Remke Markets Inc., which is being acquired by Generative Growth. Both Fresh Encounter and Generative Growth are based in Findlay, Ohio. Generative Growth is a wholly owned corporation whose members include third-generation grocers Michael S. Needler Jr. and Julie Needler Anderson. Headquartered in Erlanger, Kentucky, Remke operates stores in […]
New England Dairy Farmers Discuss Strategies For Success
Hundreds of dairy farmers and agricultural leaders from New England and New York gathered at the recent 18th annual Vermont Dairy Producers Conference in Burlington to hear from a panel of experts about strategies to ensure dairy farms remain a vibrant part of the local economy. Conference organizer Reg Chaput, a dairy farmer from North Troy, reports […]
CFA Combines Annual Meeting And Industry Trends Dinner
The Connecticut Food Association’s (CFA) annual meeting and Industry Trends & Dinner Reception will be held March 2. This event replaces the former annual meeting typically held in January and the Hall of Fame Dinner in April. CFA President Wayne Pesce said, “We have combined the two events into one in an effort to recognize […]
Cub Foods President Departs, Interim Leader Named
Cub Foods President Eric Hymas, who has served in the role since January 2016, will leave the grocery chain Feb. 25, according to Cub parent company Supervalu. The announcement was made to Supervalu employees on Feb. 20. Supervalu VP of Marketing and Consumer Insights Chad Ferguson has assumed the role of interim president. Ferguson joined […]
CVS Removing Artificial Trans Fats From Store Brand Products
CVS Pharmacy claims it is the first national retail pharmacy chain to announce the removal of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), the primary source of artificial trans fats in processed foods, from all of its exclusive store brand food products. The retailer says it offers more than 600 exclusive snack and grocery options that are free […]
