Hilda Solis, secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), famously proclaimed at the beginning of her term that “there is a new sheriff at the Department of Labor. The Department of Labor is back in the enforcement business.” The department has significantly increased its enforcement action in a number of areas, including OSHA 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.
Posted in, Another Side, Southwest
Government on All Levels Add Burdens to Business
ON THE BORDER—With both the White House and FMI addressing the quest to erase “food deserts” around our country, there has been substantial press on the subject. The reference is to rural, or even urban areas, where there is an insufficient supply of supermarkets or grocers to serve the community with healthy, nutritious food. A […]
Posted in, Southwest
Affiliated Foods Southwest’s Former CFO Martinez Convicted
Former CEO John Mills among witnesses testifying at trial Alexander “Lex” Martinez, former CFO for Little Rock-based Affiliated Foods Southwest, was convicted June 2 of conspiring to commit bank fraud, aiding and abetting bank fraud by participating in a check-kiting scheme and aiding and abetting a false statement to a financial institution. He is the […]
Posted in, National
Consumer Reports: 2 in 3 Have Left Due to Poor Customer Service
Just how frustrated are Americans with the state of customer service? According to a new Consumer Reports survey, 65 percent are “tremendously annoyed” by rude salespeople and 64 percent of respondents said that they had left a store in the previous 12 months because of poor service. This survey is part of a larger investigation […]
Posted in, National
Top Consumer Sweets and Snacks Trends 2011
Smart, simple, flavor-packed, good value and nutrient-enhanced products led the more than 2,000 new confectionery and snack foods revealed May 24-26 at the 2011 Sweets & Snacks Expo® in Chicago. The expo debuted the hottest new products from more than 550 companies. “Trends in confectionery and snacks for 2011 reflect the larger patterns seen across […]
Posted in, National
Unified Grocers Names Bob Ling President
Unified Grocers, the largest wholesale grocery distributor in the western United States, announced that Bob Ling, EVP, general counsel and secretary, has been named president, Unified Grocers. The announcement was made by Al Plamann, who remains CEO of the company. In his new position, Ling will focus on growing sales throughout the company and on […]
Posted in, Southeast
Annual BI-LO Charity Classic Raises $4,920,622 for Non-Profits Across Southeast
As the 28th annual BI-LO Charity Classic came to a close July 13, BI-LO Charities announced that this year’s tournament raised a total of $4,920,622 to aid non-profit organizations across Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee which benefit BI-LO Charities’ three key initiatives: children’s needs, education and hunger relief. “This year’s golf tournament was […]
Posted in, Southwest
Buy For Less Helps Schools Stay Supplied
Schools in the Oklahoma City Metro have received over $200,000 in school supplies over the past five years, made possible by Buy For Less Grocery Stores through the Tapes for Education Program. Christy Kalhoun was the winner chosen at random for this year’s Tapes for Education contest. As the winner, she received a $500 Buy […]
Posted in, Southwest
Louisiana Roundup July 2011
Brookshire Grocery Co. Celebrates 50th Anniversary by Giving to NonProfits In celebration of its 50th anniversary in the Shreveport/Bossier City area, Brookshire’s and Super 1 Foods donated $1,000 to 50 local nonprofit organizations. The company opened its first store on Lakeshore Drive and its second on Fern Avenue in the spring of 1961. The company […]
Posted in, Southwest
Colorado Roundup July 2011
Colorado Community College Now Offering WAFC Certificate Program The Western Association of Food Chains Inc. (WAFC) and the Colorado Community College system have partnered to offer the WAFC-endorsed “Retail Management Certificate Program.” The 10-course college curriculum provides relevant and practical content that applies across all segments of the retail food industry. The first statewide advisory […]
Posted in, Southwest
Arkansas Roundup July 2011
Wal-Mart US Comp Sales Down for Eighth Straight Quarter Bentonville-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s net sales were $103.4 billion in the first quarter of fiscal 2012, an increase of 4.4 percent from $99.1 billion in the first quarter last year. The Bentonville-based mega-retailer reported earnings results on May 17. Walmart U.S. same store sales declined for […]
Posted in, Southeast
FDA Finds Listeria at Kellogg Bakery in Augusta
The Food and Drug Administration found traces of listeria at a Kellogg Co. bakery in Augusta during an inspection earlier this year, reports The Associated Press. In a letter released June 14, regulators say that the pathogen was found in several spots along the production line that comes in direct contact with food. The FDA […]
Posted in, National
N.G.A. Names New Manager of Government Affairs
The National Grocers Association (N.G.A.) has appointed Brian D. Callahan as the manager of government affairs.
Posted in, Southwest
Amigos United to Hold Free Public Health Fair June 11
For the second summer in a row, all three locations of Amigos United supermarkets will again host a health fair for its guests.
Posted in, National
FMI Responds to Amendment to Kill Swipe Fees
On June 7, Senators Jon Tester (D-Montana) and Bob Corker (R-Tennessee) offered an amendment to the Economic Development Revitalization Act of 2011 (S. 782) to delay debit card swipe fee reforms.
Posted in, Northeast
A&P Forges New Agreement with C&S Wholesale Grocers
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. Inc. (A&P) announced June 7 that it will enter into a new supply and logistics agreement with its principal wholesale supplier, C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc., pending approval of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.
Posted in, Northeast
Big Y Foods Pilots First-Ever Grocery Chain Groupon Offers
Big Y Foods Inc., Incentive Targeting and HaloEffect have teamed with Groupon to bring social buying to the grocery retail and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry. The partnership combines Groupon’s powerful social buying platform with Incentive Targeting’s retail shopper marketing technology, Big Y’s groundbreaking grocery retail loyalty program, and HaloEffect’s agency creative and grocery marketing […]
Posted in, West
USC Food Industry Management Program & WAFC 53rd Annual Awards Banquet
The Food Industry Management Program at the University of Southern California is unique in its dedication to providing a concentrated management development program for high-potential managers of proven ability from food industry companies.
Posted in, National
ROFDA Spring Conference 2011 Town Hall meeting, Part 2
The Shelby Report’s ROFDA coverage, continued from Part 1. [gn_spoiler title=”Q: My question has to do with two things we’re stuck with—death and taxes. What strategies or plans do you have in place to try and moderate or control rising health insurance costs, and from the tax side, state unemployment insurance, which we see going […]
Posted in, From My Point of View, National
Just a Reminder
How are your competitors doing? Check them out; you may be on top of most of the competition but not all