New Seasons Market, The Shelby Report of the West’s Retailer of the Year, is the nation’s first grocer to be B Corporation certified. Certified B-Corps are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. New Seasons Market, like other B-Corps, undergoes […]
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 inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Albertsons, Southwest
Niman Ranch Names Fazio As VP Of Retail Sales
Niman Ranch has appointed Jake Fazio as VP of retail sales, leading its sales team overseeing retail and e-commerce. The company is a provider of premium natural meats, raised by independent family farmers with no antibiotics or added hormones. “Jake started his career as a butcher and has worked his way up over the past […]
Posted inPackaging News, West
Perfect Hydration Alkaline Water Introduces New Resealable Can
Perfect Hydration Alkaline Water will share a rebrand of its full product line to illustrate the beverage’s qualities and support its positioning as a brand for active lifestyles and athletes. Perfect Hydration is a water option for athletes, having been named the official water of the NOBULL CrossFit Games earlier this year, with a 9.5+ […]
Posted inProduce News, National
Watermelon Board Reveals 2023 Retail Merchandising Contest Winners
The National Watermelon Promotion Board has named winners in its annual Retail Merchandising Contest, which garnered more than 115 entries from various retail chains, independent retailers and commissaries throughout the U.S. and Canada. This year’s contest – the 15th since its inception – continued to utilize mixed media marketing efforts in addition to in-store displays. […]
Posted inPackaging News, National, Sustainability News
Kraft Heinz Releases 2023 ESG Report
The Kraft Heinz Co. released its 2023 Environmental Social Governance Report, sharing progress toward its goals through new innovations and collaboration. The report highlights advancements across the company’s three key pillars – healthy living and community support, environmental stewardship and responsible sourcing. “As we work to lead the future of food, we strive to do so responsibly. […]
Posted inSustainability News, National
General Mills, Walmart Collaborate On Regenerative Agriculture
General Mills, Walmart and Sam’s Club have begun a collaboration to help accelerate the adoption of regenerative agriculture on 600,000 acres in the U.S. by 2030. This represents the approximate number of acres General Mills engages to source key ingredients for its products sold through Walmart and Sam’s Club. Projects will be supported through grants administered […]
Posted inWoman Executive of the Year, Home Page Latest News, Retailer of the Year, West
New Seasons Market CEO Lebold Relishing Return To Pacific Northwest
(Editor’s note: Bob Reeves, Shelby Publishing’s EVP West, recently visited with Nancy Lebold, CEO of Oregon-based New Seasons Market and the Woman Executive of the Year for the West. Their discussion appears below.) Thank you so much for joining us. Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit […]
Posted inMeijer, Independent Store News, Midwest
Meijer Team Gives Program Helps 1.7K Nonprofits In Three Years
The third annual Meijer Team Gives fall program empowers team members to grant $3 million in surprise donations to nearly 500 nonprofits within their communities. This announcement follows the retailer’s Meijer Team Gives spring program earlier this year, which resulted in $1.5 million to nearly 300 nonprofits. “Meijer Team Gives empowers our team members to choose nonprofits and […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Geissler's, Northeast
Geissler’s To Launch Instacart’s Smart Carts In Stores
Geissler’s Supermarkets, a seven-store IGA retailer with locations in Connecticut and Massachusetts, will add Caper Carts, Instacart’s AI-powered smart carts, to all seven locations, replacing a majority of their traditional shopping carts over the coming months. Caper Carts use computer vision and AI to identify items as they’re placed in the cart, and Geissler’s will deploy them to […]
Posted inCenter Store, Merchandising News, Midwest
Buehler’s Fresh Foods Promotes Melillo To VP Of Merchandising
Christina Melillo, director of center store and packaged goods, has been promoted to VP of merchandising for Buehler’s Fresh Foods. In her new role at Buehler’s, Melillo will work with store operations to ensure the implementation of operational programs and innovative concepts. She will play a role in shaping and driving the strategic direction of the […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, National
Chicken Lifts Meat Sales, Reports Strong September Growth
The average price per pound in the meat department across all cuts and kinds stood at $4.63 in September, which was virtually unchanged from the levels seen in September 2022. This is according to the annual Circana, 210 Analytics and Hillphoenix series. Processed meat tends to have higher prices, but its average price per pound […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Northeast
Stop & Shop To Donate 21K Turkeys Through Express Program
As part of its annual Turkey Express program, Stop & Shop will deliver 21,500 Thanksgiving turkeys, totaling more than 300,000 pounds, to 25 community partners and hunger relief organizations across Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey. Stop & Shop’s Turkey Express program, a month-long initiative that donates holiday meals ahead of Thanksgiving, […]
Posted inGelson's, Corporate Store News, Grocery Store Layout, West
Gelson’s First West L.A. Location Boasts Modern Design
Reimagining “the Gelson’s experience” for its 28th full-service store, the grocer has officially opened its first location in West Los Angeles. Located at 12121 West Olympic Blvd., it serves as the anchor of West Edge, a mixed-use residential, office and retail development that is under construction. Designed by the firm Shook Kelley, Gelson’s West L.A. […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Midwest
AWG Brands Launches New-Look Consumer Websites
AWG Brands, the private brands of Kansas City, Kansas-based Associated Wholesale Grocers, launched two revamped consumer-facing websites for the Always Save brand and Best Choice Family of Brands. The new-look sites aim to build brand awareness and loyalty, while driving consumers to AWG member retailers’ stores. ‟We redesigned the Always Save brand and Best Choice […]
Posted inFestival Foods, Center Store, Midwest
Festival Foods, WK Kellogg Co. Back Wisconsin Food Pantries
Festival Foods and WK Kellogg Co. are partnering in November to raise funds for more than 50 Wisconsin-based food pantries. When shoppers purchase selected WK Kellogg Co. products during November, it will donate up to 100,000 meals to Festival Foods’ Food for Neighbors program. Festival Foods began its Food for Neighbors program in 2004 to […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Southwest
Natural Grocers’ 45th Colorado Store To Open In Loveland
Natural Grocers will hold a grand opening Nov. 15 for a new store at 745 N. Lincoln Ave. in Loveland, Colorado, which will be the company’s 45 location in its home state. Natural Grocers’ good4u Crew will kick off the festivities at 8:20 a.m. with a $2,500 donation presentation to the Food Bank for Larimer […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, National
Dunnhumby Report: One In Five U.S. Consumers Trust AI
Just 20 percent of American consumers “mostly” or “completely” trust artificial intelligence, according to the fifth wave of the dunnhumby Consumer Trends Tracker. Americans’ trust in AI is higher than other markets, such as the U.K., where that figure is 14 percent. The quarterly study – completing its fifth quarter – found that the level […]
Posted inCenter Store, West
Bounty Picks Up Adoption Fees At Best Friends Animal Society
Bounty Paper Towels is picking up pet adoption fees in partnership with Best Friends Animal Society, working to save the lives of shelter pets across the country. “Some animals spend over 500 days in a shelter,” said Janette Yauch, VP of Bounty. “We’re proud to be teaming up again with Best Friends Animal Society in […]
Posted inCenter Store, Southeast
Walmart’s First Pet Services Center Debuts In Dallas, GA
Walmart has opened its first pet services center at 3615 Marietta Hwy in Dallas, Georgia, offering routine veterinary care and grooming in a central location within a dedicated storefront. Services, which are provided by qualified veterinary and grooming professionals in collaboration with PetIQ, include vaccines, wellness exams and minor medical issues. Grooming offerings include baths, […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Northeast
Stew Leonard, Step Into Swim Partner To Prevent Drownings
The Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation has partnered with Step Into Swim to provide grants for learn-to-swim providers across the Northeast and fund 40,000 swim lessons for children. The foundation committed $200,000 to effort, receiving a direct match from the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance’s board of directors. “Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation […]