More than 900 people attended the recent Georgia Food Industry Association convention, held in Orlando, Florida. The majority of those were retailers, wholesalers and suppliers, according to GFIA President Kathy Kuzava. She cited several highlights of the annual conference: Teross Young, VP of Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs for Ahold Delhaize USA, received GFIA’s 2022 […]
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 inCorporate Store News, Northeast
Stop & Shop’s Campaign Raises $1.2M For Hunger Relief
Quincy, Massachusetts-based Stop & Shop, together with Unilever’s Knorr brand, announced that its Food for Friends campaign raised more than $1.2 million for its 12 regional food bank partners to combat summer hunger in the communities it serves. According to Feeding America, 22 million kids across the U.S. rely on school meals. When schools close for […]
Posted inPiggly Wiggly, Independent Store News, Midwest
Piggly Wiggly Hosts Charity Golf Outing, Donates $100K To Hunger Relief
Piggly Wiggly hosted its 16th Annual Retail and Vendor Charity Golf Outing July 19 in Wisconsin to raise funds for three nonprofit organizations to fight hunger and to promote food security. The outing brought Piggly Wiggly Midwest employees, franchise owners, vendors and partners together for an event in support of local Wisconsin communities. In celebration […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Southwest
Tyson Foods Invests $1.5M To Eliminate Hunger In Local Communities
Springdale, Arkansas-based Tyson Foods has awarded $1.5 million in grants to 63 nonprofit organizations to support hunger relief and community assistance programs. These donations are part of a nationwide philanthropy effort to support most Feeding America member food banks. The grants from Tyson Foods’ Social Investment Committee will fund a variety of programs to address […]
Posted inBeverage News, Albertsons, Midwest
Calypso Expands Distribution Of Lemonade Products
Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based Calypso has expanded the retail distribution of its island-inspired lemonade products. With more consumers seeking new flavor combinations, the brand has seen increased demand from retailers seeking distribution. Shoppers can now find Calypso on more shelves across the country at Walmart, Publix, Sheetz, H-E-B and Kroger for a total of nearly 3,000 new outlets. Since […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, National
NielsenIQ Combines With GfK For Data, Analytics Assets
NielsenIQ and GfK have agreed to combine the two companies, creating new capabilities in the consumer and retail measurement industry. Powered by cloud technology, the combination will bring together complementary data and analytics assets to provide a comprehensive view of shopper spending through a total store read, enabling clients to anticipate trends and react faster […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Southwest
Frito-Lay Program Inspires 1M Girls To Pursue Stem Careers
Plano, Texas-based Frito-Lay is teaming up with actress and science-fiction star Sonequa Martin-Green for the return of its Back-to-School Blast Off program. The snack brand also partnered with Stem Next’s Million Girls Moonshot, an initiative that seeks to engage one million more girls in Stem learning opportunities through after school and summer programs by 2025. The snack […]
Posted inPackaging News, Midwest
General Mills Brings Back Monster Cereals In Kaws-Designed Boxes
Minneapolis-based General Mills has brought back its Franken Berry, Count Chocula, Boo-Berry and Frute Brute Monster Cereals with the limited-edition release of four Kaws-designed boxes. Inspired by classic horror film characters, the Monster Cereals have returned, partnering with American artist Kaws, who was inspired by the vintage styling of the original boxes. He designed new […]
Posted inRaley's, Corporate Store News, West
The Raley’s Companies Promotes Three Executives
West Sacramento, California-based The Raley’s Companies have announced the promotion of three executives into roles that are part of its shared services model. Craig Benson has held several roles at Raley’s during his time at the company, most recently serving as SVP, technology. As chief information technology officer, he will lead The Raley’s Companies expansion of technical […]
Posted inGiant Food, Corporate Store News, Northeast
Giant Food To Open New Store In Silver Spring, MD
Giant Food will hold a grand opening of a new location Aug. 5 at 12028 Cherry Hill Road in Silver Spring, Maryland. The opening will bring 100 new jobs to the community and follows a series of grand reopenings at three Giant Food stores across Maryland and Virginia. With about 65,000-square-feet of shopping space, the Silver […]
Posted inBeverage News, West
Bolthouse Farms Finalizes Evolution Fresh Acquisition From Starbucks
Bakersfield, California-based Bolthouse Farms has closed its acquisition of Evolution Fresh from Starbucks, including the brand, business and employees supporting the company. Through this acquisition, Bolthouse Farms will expand its beverage offering from nutrient-dense, plant-powered juices and smoothies to include the lineup of Evolution Fresh’s organic, cold-pressed juices. Starbucks stores in the U.S. will continue […]
Posted inAssociation News, Northeast
NJFC Holds Annual Golf Outing, Reveals Winners
The New Jersey Food Council held its NJFC Annual Golf Outing on July 25 at the Suburban Golf Club in Union Township. Members enjoyed meeting food industry executives representing retailers, manufacturers, brokers, wholesalers and convenience stores from across New Jersey. “This popular event always brings out a great mix of food trade associates and retail […]
Posted inPackaging News, Feature, Southeast
Mister Bee Potato Chips Expands Co-Packing Production
Parkersburg, West Virginia-based Mister Bee Potato Chips is expanding its private label co-packing services to add to its chip making for retail outlets. The small, woman-owned business upgraded its entire facilities – new fryer, computerized seasoning, bagging process and new warehouse – providing opportunities for expanding its production to make custom chips for other snack companies, […]
Posted inCenter Store, Northeast, Snacks Brands
B&G Foods Launches Snickers Seasoning Blend
Parsippany, New Jersey-based B&G Foods has introduced a Snickers Shakers Seasoning Blend. The release of the seasoning blend comes on the heels of B&G Foods’ seasoning category partnership with Mars for Twix Shakers Seasoning Blend. “We’re pleased to expand our wildly popular licensed seasoning blends line with the addition of Snickers, one of the most iconic chocolate […]
Posted inAssociation News, National
Taking A Look At Opportunities Ahead For Food At Retail Grocery
by Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO, FMI – The Food Industry Association Sharing a meal with loved ones is among our most physically and emotionally fulfilling daily rituals, perhaps more so in recent years given the upheaval to our routines caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As FMI’s recently released U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2022 – […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Midwest, Wholesaler/Distributor News
AWG Partners With DoorDash To Offer On-Demand Grocery Delivery
Kansas City, Kansas-based AWG has entered into a partnership agreement with DoorDash to offer on-demand grocery delivery solutions to independent grocers through the DoorDash marketplace app and website. Grocers can use the DoorDash platform to build an e-commerce offering that meets the needs of their local community base, extending to areas where they may not have […]
Posted inBeverage News, Southwest
Keurig, BLK & Bold Coffee Announce K-Cup Pod Partnership
Frisco, Texas-based Keurig Dr Pepper and BLK & Bold Specialty Beverages have launched BLK & Bold coffees in K-Cup pods for the Keurig brewing system. BLK & Bold was cultivated in 2018 in Des Moines, Iowa. For every product sold, the company pledges 5 percent of its profits to “For Our Youth” partners nationwide. Mauricio Leyva, […]
Posted inProduce News, West
Mission Produce Begins Importing Avocados From Jalisco, Mexico
Oxnard, California-based Mission Produce has begun to import some of the first avocados to the U.S. from the Mexican state of Jalisco. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new certification of Jalisco avocados for the U.S. market provides access to an additional supply source of the fruit, supporting the company in meeting domestic demand. “We are […]
Posted inPackaging News, Amazon Fresh, Midwest, Whole Foods
Kraft Heinz’s Delimex Rebrands Packaging, Enhances Flavor
Chicago-based Kraft Heinz and its brand, Delimex, is debuting refreshed packaging, enhanced flavor and double the taquito filling. “As a brand we are all about bringing bold, delicious flavor to life’s dullest moments,” said Rachel Drof, director brand communications, Delimex. “We are excited for fans to try our new and improved product and experience the […]
Posted inCenter Store, National
Carandini Launches Italian Cheese Dressing With Balsamic Vinegar
Carandini, a historic family based in Modena, Italy, has been producing hand-crafted balsamic vinegars using traditional family methods since 1641. U.S. consumers can purchase Carandini’s artisanal premium products – including the newest iteration of their Italian Cheese Dressing, available at Whole Foods and Fresh Market stores. The Italian Cheese Dressing with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena & […]