In recognition of his professional skills, knowledge and passion for the industry, Jim Harrison, president of Vermont Grocers Association (VGA), was given the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) Donald H. MacManus Association Executive Award at the Washington Public Policy Conference hosted by FMI, the National Grocers Association (N.G.A.) and Food Industry Association Executives (FIAE). “Jim Harrison […]
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, National, New Products
Jack Link’s New Sasquatch Big Steak Now Available in Stores Nationwide
Jack Link’s® Beef Jerky has extended its popular Sasquatch™ Big Snacks line to include, for the first time, the new Sasquatch Big Steak. At more than 16 inches in length, the Big Steak is 20 percent larger than the next largest beef steak product on the market. It follows last year’s launch of the Sasquatch […]
Posted in, Ellerbee Buzz, National
Package Changes Prove Challenging for Some
She wrote that her mother got so frustrated with the cap that she finally resorted to just unscrewing the whole darn thing. That was my daughter commenting on my frustration with Coffeemate via the Web. The cap does frustrate me. It either won’t open like it is supposed to or it won’t shut right. And […]
Posted in, National
Rising Sun Farms Donates 10% of Profits for Celiac Awareness Month
In support of Celiac Awareness Month this May, Rising Sun Farms will donate 10 percent of May’s profits to the Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF). The CDF is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing services and support regarding celiac disease through programs of awareness, education, advocacy and research. Celiac, or gluten intolerance, is an autoimmune disorder […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Equipment & Technology, Southeast
Sweetwater is 27th Largest Craft Brewer in the Country
SweetWater Brewing Co. keeps climbing up the ranking of America’s biggest craft beer companies. The Atlanta-based brewer, which recently discussed plans to expand its production capacity, moved up one slot to No. 27 in the Brewers Association’s list of the 50 largest independent U.S. brewers. Last year, the company was the 28th-largest craft brewery in […]
Posted in, Amazon Fresh, Corporate Store News, West, Whole Foods
Walmart Testing Grocery Delivery in California
Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart is testing home grocery delivery in San Jose, Calif., as the world’s largest retailer ratchets up competition with online retailer Amazon.com. With the new “Walmart To Go,” customers can order up groceries, health and beauty products such as soap, shampoo and over-the-counter medicines, and household supplies like paper towels and laundry detergent […]
Posted in, From My Point of View, National
Governments Need to Leave ‘Like to Haves’ in the Dust
I had an article in mind for this month, but when I read my friend’s article on “The Collapsing of Our ‘Holographic’ Government,” I thought it may be as enlightening to you as it was to me. The author, Frank Norton Jr., a real estate executive here in Gainesville, Ga., has given me permission to […]
Posted in, Another Side, National
FMI’s Future Connect a Sound Investment in Your Company’s Future
It’s time to reconnect with the future. Sounds like yet another sequel to Michael J. Fox’s classic movie “Back to the Future,” but we’re actually talking about FMI’s Future Connect, chapter two. Despite being bugged by the flu, the inaugural edition (2009) of the alternating-year conference was a success. You might recall that, scheduled for […]
Posted in, National, Southeast
Georgia Legislature Sends Booze Bill to Governor
After five years of heated lobbying that pitted grocery and convenience stores against preachers, the Georgia General Assembly gave final approval Tuesday to legislation that could lead to Sunday package sales, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Governor Nathan Deal has already said he will sign Senate Bill 10, which the House approved Tuesday by a vote […]
Posted in, California Perspective, West
An Open Letter to Gov. Brown from the State’s Grocery Community
With California facing the challenge of a fiscal crisis larger than any in recent memory, state legislators, officials and the governor will have to make tough decisions to eliminate a near-$26 billion shortfall in the state budget. California’s grocery industry will be part of this process, but shouldn’t shoulder an unfair portion of the solution. […]
Posted in, National, Northeast
Boston Seafood Show Has Strong Turnout
The 30th International Boston Seafood Show/Seafood Processing America event “has become a cherished tradition for our visitor industry along with Opening Day at Fenway Park, the Boston Marathon and the Boston POPS Fourth of July concert,” according to Pat Moscaritolo, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau. The 2011 show was […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, National
Walmart Bringing Back 8,500 Products
WalMart is bringing back more than 8,500 household products and foods that it had culled from its shelves over the past few years in an effort to reverse a sales slump in the U.S., reports the Phoenix Business Journal. Arkansas-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc announced April 11 that it would be broadening the variety of products […]
Posted in, Beverage News, C-Store News, Southwest
Grocers Lose Fight Over Full-Strength Beer
A legislative effort to let Colorado grocery and convenience stores sell full-strength beer died in a landslide on the House floor Monday after a month of intense debate on the subject, reports the Denver Business Journal. House Bill 1284, sponsored by Reps. Larry Liston, R-Colorado Springs, and Crisanta Duran, D-Denver, pitted those stores against locally […]
Posted in, National, Perishables
Flowers Foods Buys Tasty Baking
Flowers Foods Inc. will buy troubled Tasty Baking Co. in a cash deal worth $165 million, including Tasty Baking’s debt, reports the Atlanta Business Chronicle. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter. Tasty Baking is an iconic Philadelphia company known for its more than 100 Tastykake and Kandy Kake snack products. The […]
Posted in, National
Spinach Warning from Fresh Express
Fresh Express said April 5 that it is voluntarily recalling 2,939 cases of 9-oz. bagged spinach, reports the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal. The Salinas company said the recall is “out of an abundance of caution due to a positive result for salmonella from random sample testing.” The recalled product has product codes starting with […]
Posted in, Feature, National
Consumers seeking new varieties and flavors in candy, and manufacturers are providing it
M&M’S® Pretzel Chocolate Candies were named the 2011 Product of the Year in the candy and snacks category by Product of the Year USA. “This award is especially gratifying because it was decided by consumers,” Debra A. Sandler, CCO of MMMars Chocolate North America, said in a press release. “We felt confident that the delicious […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Southwest
Lowe’s acquires Super S Foods
by Rita Arnst Pay and Save Inc., dba Lowe’s from Littlefield, Texas, acquired the Super S Foods chain today. “The stores will be operated as Super S Foods/Lowe’s for a while. Nothing is going to change,” said James Hanson with Super S Foods public relations. “We are not going to change the signs initially, but […]
Posted in, National
Coca-Cola Pledges Financial Aid to Japan
The Coca-Cola Co. system has pledged $7.3 million to help Japan as it continues to confront the aftermath of a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami, reports the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Atlanta-based Coca-Cola said the $7.3 million in cash and product donations will go to the relief effort and includes more than 7 million bottles of needed […]
Posted in, Beverage News, National
US Tops France as Wine Sipping Leader
According to a report in the San Francisco Business Times, the United States supplanted France as the world’s largest wine-consuming nation in 2010, according to wine industry consultants Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates, by roughly 330 million cases to France’s 320.6 million. Of course, the United States’ population dwarfs that of France, so “per capita, they’re […]
Posted in, National
US Wholesale Inflation Surged in February
According to a report on MSNBC.com, wholesale prices surged last month at their fastest pace in just over 1-1/2 years due to higher energy costs and the steepest rise in food prices in 36 years. Excluding those volatile categories, inflation was tame. The Labor Department said today that the Producer Price Index rose a seasonally […]