Chicago-based Midan Marketing has appointed Marla Camins as associate director of public relations and brand communications, a newly created role focused on providing strategic direction, oversight and messaging for public relations initiatives. Camins will report to Steve Hixon, Midan’s VP of customer engagement. “We are confident that Marla’s skills and experience will be a valuable asset […]
Author Archives: Sommer Stockton
Digital Content Editor
Sommer joined The Shelby Report in January 2022 after graduating from Brenau University in Gainesville, GA, with a B.A. and M.A. in Communications and Media Studies. As Digital Content Editor, she leverages her expertise in digital strategy and content creation to enhance The Shelby Report’s online presence and engage readers.
Committed to the grocery industry, Sommer also serves on an advisory committee with the National Grocers Association (NGA), advocating for independent grocers. She enjoys exploring emerging trends and delivering actionable insights to the Shelby community.
Posted inAssociation News, National
Experts Optimistic That Inflation Will Decrease Over Course Of Year
Major influencers include severe weather events, trucking and labor issues FMI – the Food Industry Association hosted a briefing March 15, “Impact of Inflation on Grocery Shopper Buying Habits: Looking Inside Inflation’s Black Box,” to cover what lies ahead for food prices in 2023. The briefing looked at how higher prices have impacted shopper buying […]
Posted inPublix Super Markets, Independent Store News, Southeast
Publix Names 2022 Pharmacy Rxcellence Award Recipients
Lakeland, Florida-based Publix presented 15 pharmacy employees with the Rxcellence Award for excelling in customer service, performance, ownership and teamwork. The award was given to one pharmacist and one technician from each of the company’s five divisions, one pharmacy supervisor and four pharmacy support employees. “Our pharmacy teams are committed to providing the best care and […]
Posted inDairy News, Northeast
Weis Markets Launches New Ice Cream Product Line
Sunbury, Pennsylvania-based Weis Markets has launched its Weis By Nature ice cream product line. It is a collection of flavors produced in the company’s creamery without GMOs or artificial flavors, preservatives, colors or ingredients. It comes in 11 flavors, including chocolate, coffee, cookies ‘n cream, fudge twirl (vanilla ice cream swirled with fudge), mint chocolate chip, vanilla bean, peanut butter cup (peanut butter […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Southeast
ECRS Expands Operations With New Deployment Center
ECRS has announced the opening of its new deployment center on Industrial Park Drive in Boone, North Carolina. The facility will build, manufacture, prepackage and ship retail technology solutions to retailers located throughout North America and the Carribean. The renovated building more than doubles the size of the previous hardware warehouse and shipping space. With a 33-year […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Southeast
Southeastern Grocers’ Uses Zebra Services To Improve Operations
Jacksonville, Florida-based Southeastern Grocers is modernizing technology for its store employees with Zebra Technologies’ workforce and task management solutions to improve in-store operations and elevate the customer experience. Southeastern Grocers selected solutions from Zebra’s Modern Store framework to better engage employees and optimize store labor productivity across its network. Leveraging Zebra’s software capabilities enables the grocer to align the […]
Posted inNatural Grocers, Center Store, Corporate Store News, Southwest
Natural Grocers Introduces New Varieties Of Organic Mustard
Lakewood, Colorado-based Natural Grocers has introduced three new varieties of its organic mustard to the company’s house brand. Customers looking for an organic condiment upgrade can choose Natural Grocers Brand Organic Mustards in three flavors: yellow, spicy brown and dijon. “Our house brand is part of our family legacy. It’s an additional step towards providing our customers with […]
Posted inWholesaler/Distributor News, Midwest
AWG Names Award Recipients During Annual Meeting
Kansas City, Kansas-based Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. has named the winners of several excellence awards as part of the 2023 AWG Innovation Showcase and Annual Meeting. The Lou Fox Award This award is given each year in honor of Lou Fox, general manager and president of AWG from 1955-83. The recipient is an AWG member retailer […]
Posted inWholesaler/Distributor News, Northeast, Sustainability News
UNFI’s Solar Investments Expected To Reduce Operational Costs
Providence, Rhode Island-based United Natural Foods Inc. has completed its largest solar array investment to date at its distribution center in Howell, New Jersey. The 3.2-megawatt roof mounted solar array is the company’s eighth solar installation and is three times larger than any previous installation. UNFI also plans to complete LED energy lighting upgrades at […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Southwest
Walmart Highlights Its Supply Chain Growth During Meeting
Walmart is kicking off its two-day 2023 Investment Community meeting, where company leadership will highlight how it is investing to strengthen its business through its people. It is also discussing its next generation supply chain network of stores, clubs and fulfillment centers and how it is driving future global growth opportunities across its omnichannel ecosystem […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, National
Bazaarvoice, Acosta Group Partner On Omnichannel Strategies
Acosta Group, a collective of retail, marketing and foodservice agencies, has partnered with Bazaarvoice to drive revenue growth for brands by aligning their social commerce and technology solutions. With this partnership, Acosta Group will integrate the social commerce capabilities of Bazaarvoice across ratings and reviews, sampling and user-generated content (UGC) syndication. Bazaarvoice UGC is available to […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Association News, Southeast
Isom IGA Rebuilds, Reopens Store In Kentucky
The Isom IGA store held a grand reopening celebration April 5 at 29 Isom Dr. in Isom, Kentucky. Among the many special guests, Independent Grocers Alliance CEO John Ross attended. A 12-hour deluge beginning July 27, 2022 in eastern Kentucky brought 7-10 inches of rain overnight and raised the North Fork Kentucky River about 11 feet […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Southwest
Affiliated Foods Selects HIMPACT System To Optimize Inventory
Amarillo, Texas-based Affiliated Foods Inc. has chosen Herlitz Inventory Management’s HIMPACT as its new purchasing system. AFI was founded in 1968 as the result of a merger between two grocery companies. Over the past half a century, the grocery retail cooperative and distribution center has grown to include more than 700 member stores spanning eight states. “We […]
Posted inH-E-B, Independent Store News, Southwest
H-E-B Celebrates Earth Month Through Recycling Measures
During Earth Month, H-E-B is introducing additional measures to reduce waste and maximize recycling efforts across its business and throughout communities across Texas. The retailer has launched multiple ventures aimed at supporting plastic waste reduction among its customers, so bags don’t end up in the landfill. Since municipal recycling programs don’t accept plastic bags and […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Midwest
Creekstone Farms To Build Child Learning Center For Employees
Arkansas City, Kansas-based Creekstone Farms has broken ground on a 20,000-square foot learning center, adjacent to its headquarters at 604 Goff Industrial Park Road. The meat supplier, which employs about 1,200 people, estimates the daycare will accommodate more than 100 children when it opens this fall. The facility, which will cost an estimated $3.5 million to […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Northeast
New Hampshire Industry Remains Strong Despite Challenges
New Hampshire ended the halfway point of the 2023 fiscal year $200 million ahead of estimates and $40 million more than the previous year. According to Kevin Daigle, president and CEO of the New Hampshire Grocers Association, Gov. Chris Sununu recently unveiled his proposed budget that will look to continue cutting and/or eliminating taxes and […]
Posted inKeHE Distributors, West, Wholesaler/Distributor News
KeHE Names 15 Winners Of Trendfinder Event At Expo West
KeHE has named the 15 winners of its 2023 TRENDfinder event, which took place March 7-11 at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California. The recipients of the “Golden Ticket” include: Resist Nutrition, The Plug Drink, CorEats Mixes, Egmont Manuka Honey, Eve Wellness, Green Boy, Clean Juice, Naturli’, Almondy, VGAN Chocolate, Melati Drinks, Bear Bar, Wild Orchard, FITPPL and EVERBLUE. “A key focus at KeHE is to support small and […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Health & Wellness, Midwest
Hy-Vee Opens Health Infusion Clinic In Wes Des Moines, IA
Hy-Vee Inc. has opened its first Hy-Vee Health infusion clinic at 7300 Westown Pkwy, Suite 320, in West Des Moines, Iowa. The infusion clinic is referral-based and will provide treatments for rheumatology, gastroenterology, pulmonary, neurology, dermatology, oncology and other chronic conditions. The clinic is staffed by licensed physicians and nurse practitioners and features three private […]
Posted inDairy News, National
Braswell Family Farms Donates Eggs For White House Easter Roll
Braswell Family Farms, a North Carolina-based egg and feed producer, is providing 30,000 hard-boiled, dyed eggs for the annual White House Easter Egg Roll to be held April 10 on the South Lawn of the White House. Braswell Family Farms was first given the opportunity to provide the eggs for the event in 1997. This […]
Posted inProduce News, National
Pricing Helps Improve February Fresh Produce Performance
Fresh produce prices were up over 2022, but a relatively low 2.4 percent on a per-pound basis, according to a monthly study conducted by IRI, 210 Analytics and the International Fresh Produce Association. February fresh produce sales reached $5.7 billion, up $18 million from January and an increase of 1.6 percent over February 2022 levels. […]