The Independent Grocers Alliance has launched a new, enhanced “Family Meals Made Easy” recipe platform on the IGA website. Powered by Grocery Shopii, the new platform provides curated recipes designed to make meal planning more accessible and convenient for shoppers and more impactful for IGA’s independent grocery retailers who can share the shoppable content across […]
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 inPackaging News, Dairy News, Midwest
Huhtamaki Introduces Sustainable Egg Packaging
Huhtamaki is launching fiber-based egg packaging, made from 100 percent recycled material, for U.S. egg producers. The company is bringing its fiber egg carton expertise to the U.S. as an alternative to foam egg packaging. “We expect the demand for egg packaging in the U.S. to reach 4.3 billion packs in 2025. The market size […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Amazon Fresh, Northeast, Whole Foods
Whole Foods Market Preps Store In South Windsor, CT
Whole Foods Market will open a 43,406-square-foot store Jan. 17 in The Shops at 801 Evergreen Way in South Windsor, Connecticut, its fifth location in the greater Hartford area. The South Windsor store’s design includes tile textures and a neutral color palette, connecting to the surrounding natural landscape. Its product assortment includes more than 1,000 items […]
Posted inC-Store News, Southeast
Deal For Gulf Oil Complete, RaceTrac Readies For Expansion
Atlanta, Georgia-based RaceTrac has confirmed that its wholesale fuel supply and trading subsidiary, Metroplex Energy Inc., has closed the acquisition of Gulf Oil that was announced in July, having received the appropriate regulatory approvals and satisfying all conditions. As part of the transaction, RaceTrac will acquire Gulf’s brand in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, all […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Southwest
Sam’s Club To Reopen Storm-Damaged Store In Grapevine, TX
Sam’s Club has announced plans to reopen its store at 1701 W. State Hwy 114 in Grapevine, Texas, in late 2024, nearly two years after storm damage forced its closure in December 2022. Following extensive renovations, the store will showcase new technology, improved services and a more extensive selection of products. “We are thrilled to […]
Posted inThe Kroger Co., Online Grocery Technology, Southwest, Supply Chain News
Kroger, Gatik Begin Autonomous Trucking Operations In Dallas
Gatik AI and The Kroger Co. have announced the launch of the companies’ multi-year commercial collaboration, which has medium-duty autonomous box trucks hauling fresh products to multiple stores from the grocer’s customer fulfillment center in Dallas, Texas. To celebrate the strides made since beginning local operations earlier this year, the companies came together for a […]
Posted inAssociation News, Northeast
New Scholarship Honors Longtime NJFC Leader
Linda Doherty, who has served as president and CEO of the New Jersey Food Council (NJFC) for 20 years, was hailed for her service with a $5,000 President’s Scholarship, to be awarded annually to a student from a member company or family member. NJFC launched the scholarship through an advertising journal, which was distributed at […]
Posted inThe Kroger Co., National, Online Grocery Technology, Retailers
Kroger Customers Can Now Shop Via Oven Touchscreens
Kroger and GE Appliances have introduced a feature for select WiFi-connected wall ovens and ranges that will allow consumers to view recipes and shop for ingredients via the appliances’ LCD screens. With this over-the-air update, shoppers with select GE Profile, CAFÉ and Monogram wall ovens and slide-in ranges can click on a recipe to view […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, National
November Online Grocery Sales Up 5% From Year Ago
The U.S. online grocery market posted $8.1 billion in total monthly sales for November, up 5.2 percent compared to last year’s $7.7 billion, according to the monthly Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery shopping survey. While all three receiving methods contributed to the year-over-year sales growth, delivery reported the largest gain driven by a significant jump in […]
Posted inWholesaler/Distributor News, Midwest
SpartanNash Reveals 2023 Our Family Scholarship Recipients
SpartanNash has announced the 25 recipients of its Our Family 2023 Scholarship Program, supporting students making a positive difference in their communities. Introduced in April, the program invited students who live in the same states served by SpartanNash-distributed grocery stores to apply for a $2,000 scholarship. The awards may be used toward higher education, including […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Executive News, Midwest
Save A Lot Names Interim CEO Boehler To Permanent Role
St. Louis-based independently-owned and -operated discount grocery store chain Save A Lot announced that Fred Boehler, who had been serving as its interim CEO since Oct. 31, will move into the role on a permanent basis. A seasoned supply chain executive with more than 30 years of experience across multiple retail and wholesale format businesses, […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Brookshire Grocery Co., Southwest
Brookshire Bros. Transitioning To eGrowcery Digital Tools
Brookshire Bros., a regional grocery chain in Texas and western Louisiana, is deploying digital tools from eGrowcery for its online ordering and fulfillment operations. The transition to the new platform, which will be seamless to Brookshire Bros.’ customers, will launch Jan. 1. Some enhanced features shoppers can expect include integrated coupon clipping and redemption, complex […]
Posted inFood Industry Hall of Fame, Coborn's, Midwest, Wholesaler/Distributor News
Upper Midwest AWG Division Providing Opportunities For Growth
AWG’s Upper Midwest division opened in St. Cloud, Minnesota, in 2022. It is comprised of two facilities – a 300,000-square-foot dry facility and a state-of-the-art, 330,000-square-foot fresh/frozen facility. Emile Breaux, SVP, chief sales and support officer for AWG, said the expansion into the new geography just made sense. “We knew that there were a number […]
Posted inAssociation News, National
Houchens Insurance Group Becomes IGA Red Oval Partner
Houchens Insurance Group, an insurance and risk management agency with national prominence and local service, has joined the Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) as a Red Oval Partner. The partnership will allow IGA members the opportunity to create customized insurance solutions to protect their businesses, employees and communities on a level unavailable to independent retailers. “Like […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Executive News, Northeast
ARS Makes It Official: Fantozzi New President, COO
Allegiance Retail Services (ARS), a supermarket services cooperative based in Iselin, New Jersey, has named Joe Fantozzi as president and COO, effective immediately. Fantozzi was named interim president and COO in September, when John Derderian voluntarily agreed to reduce his responsibilities and transition to a part-time role of principal advisor for retail development and strategic business […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Northeast
ARS Opens New Foodtown In Brooklyn, NY
Allegiance Retail Services (ARS), a retailer-owned grocery co-op, held a grand opening Dec. 9 for a new Foodtown at 457 Atlantic Ave. in Brooklyn, New York. Located in the Boerum Hill neighborhood, the 4,500-square-foot store is owned and operated by the Elayyan family, who have nine supermarkets, seven of which are in Brooklyn. “We are […]
Posted inExecutive News, West
Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. Shares CFO Transition
Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. has announced that Charles Bracher will step down as CFO, effective March 1, to pursue another opportunity but will stay on through the expected filing of the company’s annual report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2023. Bracher will work with Lindsay Gray, who serves as SVP of accounting, through his transition. […]
Posted inPublix Super Markets, Produce News, Southeast
Publix Produce Donations Boost Feeding America Food Banks
Matching its donation made for Thanksgiving, Publix is giving another 1.3 million pounds of fresh produce to 32 Feeding America partner food banks in eight states this holiday season. The donations are part of the company’s biannual “Feeding More Together” register campaign. Publix gives $10 million each year to purchase and deliver produce to the […]
Posted inAssociation News, West
Melillo Next Chair Of California Grocers Association
Lynn Melillo, VP of asset management for Bristol Farms, was elected to a one-year term as chair of the California Grocers Association’s board of directors during the organization’s annual meeting Dec. 1. The association comprises more than 350 retail companies, operating more than 6,000 stores in the West. As chair, Melillo will help oversee California […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Midwest
Lakeside Foods Taps Neff As SVP Of Sales
Manitowoc, Wisconsin-based Lakeside Foods has appointed Laurie Neff as SVP of sales. Neff brings 25 years of progressive sales leadership experience in the food industry, spanning private label and branded lines, channel and category development and joint venture management. “We’re excited to have Laurie on board to lead our sales function,” said Kevin Lien, chief […]