Shoppers lined up overnight April 24 as the newest Tom Thumb grocery store in North Texas opened at 4221 FM 1387 in Midlothian. The 59,000-square-foot store is one of four new Tom Thumb locations that have debuted in the region within the past five months. The fifth, under construction in Lucas, is expected to open […]
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.
Whole Foods Market Preps New Store In Downtown Jacksonville, FL
Whole Foods Market will open a new 38,432-square-foot store May 21 at 1 Riverside Ave. in Jacksonville, Florida. The location features more than 800 items sourced from 115-plus Florida-based suppliers. The store’s design pays tribute to the site’s history. Vertical wooden slats reflect the lines of the Florida Times-Union newspaper building that once sat there. […]
Kroger Celebrates $2.2M Store Remodel In Pekin, IL
On April 23, Kroger celebrated the completion of a nearly $2.2 million renovation of its store at 1607 Broadway in Pekin, Illinois. “The remodeling reflects the changing needs and interests of our customers, ” said Mike Goodwin, president of Kroger Central Division. “We added features and upgrades that make the store’s layout more appealing than […]
Wakefern Food Corp. Welcomes Earth Month Challenge
Wakefern Food Corp. is marking Earth Month with the 2026 Greener Stores, Greener Communities Earth Month Challenge, a month-long initiative encouraging family-owned ShopRite stores to highlight eco-friendly practices that reduce environmental impact, engage employees and support their communities. The Earth Month Challenge focuses on practical, everyday actions in stores and communities that engage customers and […]
Harris Teeter Breaking Ground On North Florida Store
Matthews, North Carolina-based Kroger subsidiary Harris Teeter is breaking ground April 24 on a new 61,000-square-foot store at 11901 Atlantic Blvd. in Jacksonville, Florida. Local elected officials, including Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, as well as Harris Teeter President Tammy DeBoer, are expected to attend the groundbreaking. The store, which property developer Sleiman said will sit […]
Vallarta Supermarkets Achieves 1,070% ROI With Logile
Vallarta Supermarkets generated a 1,070 percent return on investment after implementing Fresh Inventory Management technology from Logile Inc., according to a new ROI Case Study report by Nucleus Research. After changing how it forecasted demand, reduced spoilage and aligned fresh production with sales, Vallarta recovered its investment in 15 months and generated more than $10 […]
B&R Stores Acquires Family Fare Store From SpartanNash
B&R Stores Inc. has entered into an agreement to acquire SpartanNash’s Family Fare store at 1815 Court St. in Beatrice, Nebraska, with the transaction expected to close April 30. Following the acquisition, the store will undergo renovations in the coming months and will be converted to a Russ’s Market. The company will retain the current […]
Report: Specialty, Discount Grocers Outperforming Supermarkets
Consumer Edge’s U.S. Grocery Outlook 2026 shows that shoppers are changing where they buy groceries, with specialty grocers gaining market share while traditional supermarkets are losing ground. Overall grocery spending declined about 3 percent year over year on a 12-month basis ended Feb. 28. However, Consumer Edge’s transaction data shows consumers are not just spending […]
Aldi To Eliminate 44 Ingredients From Private Label Products By 2027
Aldi is expanding its standards by removing an additional 44 ingredients from private label food, vitamin and supplement products, including select artificial preservatives, colors, flavors and sweeteners. The decision will bring the grocer’s restricted ingredient list from 13 to 57 by December 2027. Building on legacy Aldi became one of the first national grocers to […]
Viva Fresh Expo 2026 Sets Attendance Record
The Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) shared that the 2026 Viva Fresh Expo on April 22 in San Antonio drew a record 2,872 attendees, including 380 retail and foodservice buyers, and featured 199 exhibitors, marking the largest turnout in the show’s history. Since its debut in Austin in 2015, Viva Fresh has grown into a […]
BRdata Named AWG’s First Vendor Partner Of Year For Services & Solutions
Software company’s 17-year partnership with Associated Wholesale Grocers culminates in first-ever industry recognition As Associated Wholesale Grocers celebrated its 100th anniversary at this year’s annual convention, the Kansas City-based cooperative marked the milestone with something new: the introduction of its Vendor Partner of the Year awards. And the inaugural award for services and solutions went […]
Charlie’s Produce Breaks Ground On New Facility In Spokane, WA
Employee-owned distributor Charlie’s Produce has broken ground on a new 66,000-square-foot facility in Spokane, Washington, designed to strengthen warehouse efficiency, support growth and enhance service across its regional distribution network. The new building will include 56,000 square feet of warehouse space, with the remaining 10,000 square feet to be used for offices. Construction is projected […]
PLMA’s 2026 Leadership Conference Sets New Attendance Record
A record number of store brand executives – retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, suppliers, brokers and others involved in adjacent industries – gathered April 15-17 in Bentonville, Arkansas, to participate in PLMA’s 2026 Leadership Conference and Annual Meeting. Themed “Building Brands That Drive Success,” the event offered tracks on Brand Building: Value Proposition and Social Media; Emerging […]
Grocers Mark Earth Day With Operational Shifts, Community Giving
Earth Day 2026 finds major regional grocers investing in sustainability efforts that range from on-site production and waste diversion to associate volunteering and checkout-lane giving campaigns. H-E-B H-E-B is marking Earth Day with its annual reusable bag giveaway, distributing 276,000 free bags featuring Garner State Park along the Frio River – the third and final […]
eGrowcery’s Feder Joins Women Grocers Of America’s Board Of Directors
Anne Feder, SVP of client growth at eGrowcery, has been appointed to the board of directors for the Women Grocers of America (WGA). Feder leads eGrowcery’s client growth organization, partnering with independent retailers in the United States and internationally to launch and optimize unified commerce platforms that integrate online shopping, store operations and marketing. She […]
Handwritten Recipe Of Schnucks Founder Resurfaces After Decades
Schnucks has brought back its founder’s long-lost recipe for potato salad that recently was rediscovered by her granddaughter. Anna Schnuck’s Original Potato Salad, made using that 1939 recipe, is now available in the deli/prepared foods department at all Schnucks locations. The side dish features red-skin potatoes and double-smoked bacon lardons folded together with caramelized onions. […]
Dunnhumby Research Shows Evolving Customer Perspective Of Retail Media
Nine in 10 shoppers are open to more retail media experiences, but only when the ads are personalized, according to new research from dunnhumby. The study of UK and U.S. shoppers found that demand for personalized advertising is high, yet its effectiveness depends on how well retailers and brands deliver relevant, timely and trusted messages […]
Report: Walmart Leads U.S. Supermarkets In Awareness; H-E-B Wins Loyalty
Walmart is the clear favorite in the U.S. supermarket market, preferred by nearly one in three American shoppers, according to new findings from Conjointly Brand Tracker released April 20. The expanded coverage of Conjointly Brand Tracker includes U.S. supermarket chains, shedding light on brand performance across the competitive sector. Market at a glance Walmart stands […]
Report: Online Grocery Sales To Reach $452B By 2028
Grocery shopping is no longer a choice between store and screen, but a seamless blend of both, according to the latest Digital Engagement Transforms Grocery Shopping 2026 report released April 22 by FMI – The Food Industry Association and NielsenIQ. With omnichannel behaviors as the new normal, total U.S. online grocery sales will reach $452 […]
NJFC Explores AI Revolution, Impact On Food Retailers During Conference
The Garden State’s food retail and distribution industry gathered April 14 at Caesars Atlantic City Hotel & Casino for the New Jersey Food Council’s annual Trade Relations Conference. With the theme “AI Revolution and How Retailers Go to Market,” the event gave food industry leaders the opportunity to examine next-level issues redefining food distribution, artificial intelligence […]
