Cheez-It is making its first-ever appearance in the chip aisle by introducing Cheez-It Crunch’d, its first ever cheesy puff. Crunch’d is offered in two flavors: Cheddar Cheese and Hot & Spicy that includes a Tabasco flavor. “Crunch and a snack made with 100 percent real cheese have always been key to our cheezy devotees, 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.
Kraft Recalls 242K Cases Of Macaroni & Cheese
Kraft Foods Group said Tuesday afternoon that it is voluntarily recalling approximately 242,000 cases of select code dates and manufacturing codes of the Original flavor of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner due to the possibility that some boxes may contain small pieces of metal. The recalled product is limited to the 7.25-oz. size of the […]
Gulf Oil Customers Can Earn Gas And Electricity Credits
Gulf Oil LP, a Framingham Massachusetts-based branded marketer of energy products, has launched a customer loyalty program to reduce its consumers’ Gulf Electricity bills and allow the shoppers to earn free gasoline at Gulf stations. Gulf enlisted Billaway as its loyalty platform provider to enable Gulf Electricity customers to convert qualified spending on everyday purchases to […]
Several New England Distributors Hosting Trade Shows, And More…
C-Store Report News In Brief Several New England distributors will be hosting annual trade show in the next few weeks. The Pine State Trading Co. Expo will be held Tuesday, March 24, at the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta, Maine, and Thursday, March 26, at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. Coremark New England will […]
Seafood Expo Excellence Awards Announced
The 2015 Seafood Excellence Awards winners were announced earlier this week at Seafood Expo North America held in Boston. Yihe Corp. won the “Best New Retail” award for its Alaskan Jack’s, and High Liner Foods won the “Best New Food Service” award for its Pulled BBQ Salmon. The Seafood Excellence Awards recognize product leaders in […]
Fresh Healthy Vending Signs New Deal With UNFI, And More….
New Channels News In Brief… Fresh Healthy Vending International, San Diego, California-based healthy vending franchisor, has signed a new three-year deal with United Natural Foods Inc., offering its franchisees an additional discount on food purchases… Dollar General celebrated new store openings in Oregon, Maine and Rhode Island, expanding the retailer’s presence to 43 states. Rick […]
Former Stop & Shop Executive Joins Inserra Supermarkets
Ron Onorato, former key leader and executive at Stop & Shop in Connecticut and Metro New York, was named president and COO of Inserra Supermarkets this week. Inserra, based in Mahwah, New Jersey, operates 21 ShopRite supermarkets in New York and New Jersey and is a member of the Wakefern Food Corp. cooperative. Onorato recently […]
Topco Salutes Member-Owners For Store Brand Commitment, And More…
Supermarket Report News In Brief Topco Associates recognized several Northeast grocers for their commitment to Topco during the recent annual membership conference in Orlando, Florida. Weis Markets, Giant Eagle and Price Chopper received awards, and C&S Wholesale Grocers was honored as a 10-year member of Topco. Those elected to the Topco Board of Directors are: […]
New England Food Show Draws Great Crowds
The National Restaurant Association will be managing the New England Food Show (NEFS) in 2016, but this year’s show, held March 15-17 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCES), drew great crowds on its first two days. Many independent operators and food service managers and chefs attended the show, which was held at the […]
Starbucks’ Race Relations, And More…
Food Service Report News In Brief Baristas at all Starbucks stores will be encouraged to talk to patrons about race relations beginning next week… Restaurant sales declined along with other major retail sectors in February. Despite the downtick, the outlook for restaurant sales growth is optimistic for the remainder of 2015, as the underlying fundamentals […]
Kroger Appoints Grieshaber President Of Columbus Division
The Kroger Co. on Tuesday said current Dillons President Joe Grieshaber has been named president of Kroger’s Columbus Division, replacing Bruce Macaulay, who is retiring after 42 years with the Cincinnati-based grocery giant. “Joe is an accomplished leader with a diverse background and expertise in our fresh departments,” said Mike Ellis, Kroger’s president and COO. […]
Couche-Tard To Acquire 21 Stores, 151 Dealer Sites In Southwest
Alimentation Couche-Tard has signed, through its wholly-owned indirect subsidiary Circle K Stores, an agreement with Cinco J, (doing business as Johnson Oil Co.), Tiger Tote Food Stores and their affiliates to acquire 21 stores, 151 dealer fuel supply agreements and five development properties. The 21 stores and development properties are located in Texas with 151 dealer […]
Acme Smoked Fish Corp. Opens Largest Smoked Salmon Facility In U.S.
Acme Smoked Fish Corp., the Brooklyn, New York-based manufacturer of Acme, Blue Hill Bay, Ruby Bay and Great American smoked and cured seafood, has opened its largest cold smoked salmon facility in Wilmington, North Carolina. The 100,000-s.f. state-of-the-art facility initially will produce 10 million pounds of cold smoked salmon per year. Located to complement Acme’s […]
Feds To Crack Down On Seafood Fraud, Illegal Fishing
The federal government on Sunday announced at Seafood Expo North America in Boston its final plans to crack down on seafood fraud and illegal fishing. The announcement, which came from a presidential task force created in June, reaffirms President Obama’s commitment to stop these crimes that provide profits to pirate fishermen, rip off consumers and hinder […]
Target Repositioning Its Grocery Segment To ‘Transform’ Business
Target says repositioning its grocery segment, among other categories, is one way it plans to “transform” its business. At a meeting earlier this month for the investor community, Target Corp. Chairman and CEO Brian Cornell and members of his leadership team presented the vision and strategies that they say will drive that transformation. “Following a […]
Burris Logistics Renews Supply Pact With The Fresh Market
Burris Logistics, a Milford, Delaware-based provider of customized retail distribution services specializing in temperature controlled supply chain solutions, has renewed a supply agreement with The Fresh Market, a North Carolina-based specialty grocery retailer with revenues of more than $1.7 billion and stores in 27 states across the U.S. “When we began to redesign the supply […]
New York-Based Acme Smoked Fish Opens SE Facility, And More…
New Channels News In Brief… Acme Smoked Fish Corp., manufacturer of Acme, Blue Hill Bay, Ruby Bay and Great American smoked and cured seafood, has opened its largest cold smoked salmon facility in Wilmington, North Carolina. The 100,000-s.f. state-of-the-art facility was built to initially produce 10 million pounds of cold smoked salmon per year. The […]
Retailer Attendance Is Free For NECSA Trade Show
Attendance to the New England Convenience Store Association (NECSA) 2015 Trade Show, March 18 at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, is free for any retailer, and the retailer does not need to be a NECSA member. Lisa Lawinger Brown, director of programs and events for NECSA, says all retail store operators are welcome to […]
Harvest Hill Buys American Beverage Co., And More…
C-Store News In Brief… Harvest Hill Beverage Co. has signed a purchase agreement to acquire American Beverage Corp. (ABC) from Wessanen for approximately $55 million. Based in Stamford, Connecticut, Harvest Hill was formed in June 2014 to acquire the Juicy Juice brand from Nestlé USA Inc. ABC manufactures and markets fruit drinks, ready-to-drink alcoholic drinks and […]
Sysco Extends Merger Agreement With US Foods Until May 7
Sysco Corp. has extended its merger agreement with US Foods by 60 days, to May 7—two days after lawsuit hearings on the merger are scheduled to begin. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sued to block the merger and has requested a preliminary injunction to stay the merger until the lawsuit is heard. Hearings on […]
