Supermarkets, retailers and banks, as an industry, earned average ratings of “strong” in the 2015 Temkin Customer Service Ratings, while TV service providers and internet service providers earned an average rating of “very weak.” Based on a study of 10,000 U.S. consumers, the ratings examine 278 companies across 20 industries. For the third straight year, […]
Category: Corporate Store News
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Independent Store News, West
Associated Food Stores Donates Kits For Homeless Youth
Associated Food Stores (AFS) staff members recently donated time and effort to put together care packages for Utah’s homeless teens. AFS, the locally owned grocery supplier in Salt Lake City, donated 750 personal care kits to the Volunteers of America (VOA) Homeless Youth Resource Center on Wednesday, May 20. The kits contain basic hygiene items […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Independent Store News, Southeast, Store News
Lowes Foods Recognized As A Retailer Of The Year By NCRMA
The North Carolina Retail Merchants Association (NCRMA) recently honored four leading retail businesses, including Lowes Foods, with Retailer of the Year Awards. The awards were presented during NCRMA’s Annual Retail Refresh “lunch-and-learn” event held at the Marriott in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. “We are proud of all of our retail members, who work day in and day out to provide superior value […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Store News, West
Raley’s Partners With iFoster To Launch Foster Youth Hiring Program
iFoster has partnered with Raley’s Family of Fine Stores to develop a new hiring program for foster youth. To date, the organizations have placed seven youths in Raley’s stores in the Sacramento region, with a goal of expanding the program to other stores. The Foster Youth Hiring Program seeks to find employment opportunities for foster youths who are […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Marketing News, West
Smart & Final’s Company Rebrand Focuses On ‘&’
Smart & Final, the company founded by J.S. Smart and H.D. Final, has a new branding campaign that it said places the ampersand (“&”)—already in the 144-year-old company’s name—front and center to showcase its relationship with both its customers and the communities it serves. The rollout includes print, radio, television and outdoor advertising in select markets […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Store News, Sustainability News, West
Raley’s And Partner Break Ground On Newest Urban Farm
Raley’s Family of Fine Stores and the Center for Land-Based Learning have partnered on the groundbreaking of the Food for Families Urban Farm. This unique partnership offers new pathways to developing urban farms in West Sacramento, California, thereby increasing access to fresh local produce, promoting community sustainability, encouraging volunteerism and stimulating educational opportunities. Twenty-five percent of the […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Marketing News, Southeast
Bi-Lo Holdings Changes Name, Logo
Bi-Lo Holdings is now Southeastern Grocers, home of BI-LO, Harveys and Winn-Dixie. The name change for the Jacksonville, Florida-based parent company of those three chains took effect today. With the new name, Southeastern Grocers debuts a new logo as well. The grocery retail company said the change symbolizes that regardless of whether employees work for BI-LO, Harveys […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Executive News, Southeast, Store News
Food City Appoints New EVP Of Store Operations For Its Knoxville Division
Food City has appointed Mickey Blazer as EVP of store operations for its Knoxville Division. The position previously was held by John Jones, who was promoted to EVP/director of store operations for the supermarket chain. Blazer brings more than 37 years of industry experience to the position, including six years in pharmacy management. Blazer began his retail […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Executive News, Giant Food, National, Northeast, Women In The News
Ahold USA Continues With Organizational Restructure
Ahold USA on Wednesday provided what it calls “an initial update on the restructuring of its support organization and changes it is making to simplify operations, speed up decision-making and support stores more effectively.” It is part of the restructuring effort that the company announced in March. “With a clear and constant focus on serving […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, National, Southwest, Store News
Whole Foods Targeting Millennials With Planned Launch Of New Lower-Price Chain
Whole Foods Market plans to launch a new chain of lower-priced stores for people who can’t otherwise afford to buy its premium and organic food. Fortune.com reports that the Austin, Texas-based company said Wednesday that stores in the new format would offer a “curated” selection and have a simpler design to cater to people who […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Executive News, Midwest, National
Hy-Vee’s Edeker Elected Board Chair For National Association Of Chain Drug Stores
Hy-Vee Inc. Board Chairman, CEO and President Randy Edeker was elected chairman of the board for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) at the trade organization’s annual meeting in Florida last week. As chairman of the board, Edeker will work with the NACDS board of directors, the organization’s officers and executive committee members […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Southeast, Store News
Publix’s 1Q Sales Increase, Comp-Store Sales Up 5.3 Percent
Publix’s sales for the first quarter of 2015 were $8.3 billion, a 6.8 percent increase from last year’s $7.8 billion. Comparable-store sales for the first quarter of 2015 increased 5.3 percent. Net earnings for the first quarter of 2015 were $548.9 million, compared to $493.7 million in 2014, an increase of 11.2 percent. Earnings per […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Independent Store News, Southwest, Store News
2015 BGC Golf Tournament Raises $500K For Charity
Approximately $500,000 was raised Monday through the 27th annual Brookshire’s Benefit Golf Tournament. The funds will be distributed among more than 100 children’s charities throughout Brookshire Grocery Co.’s (BGC) three-state market area. More than 660 golfers—comprised of BGC leaders, representatives from more than 230 vendor companies and other business associates—competed at six golf courses throughout […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Store News, West
WAFC’s Retail Management Certificate Lauded By White House
At an April 24 gathering at the White House centered on “Upskilling America,” the Western Association of Food Chains’ (WAFC) Retail Management Certificate received recognition. According to a statement from the White House’s Office of the Press Secretary, “Labor leaders such as local affiliates of SEIU and AFL-CIO, nonprofits like Goodwill and industry groups such as […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Equipment & Technology, National, Online Grocery Technology
Kroger Buys Certain Dunnhumby Assets To Create New ‘84.51°’ Business
DunnhumbyUSA joint venture partners dunnhumby Ltd. and The Kroger Co. today announced what they call a “new chapter in their successful alliance that will provide greater flexibility for both parties to use data to create substantial opportunities for innovation and growth.” Under the new arrangements dunnhumby Ltd. and Kroger will replace their existing exclusive joint […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Store News, West
Northgate Gonzalez Markets Hosts Partner Appreciation Event At Family Ranch
The Gonzalez family, owner of Northgate Gonzalez Markets, hosted its 3rd Annual Partner Appreciation Day on Friday at the family ranch in Riverside County, California. Guests were asked to wear boots, jeans and white shirts and were given a choice of three styles of cowboy hats to wear when they arrived. The Southern California grocer’s […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Southeast
German Discount Grocer To Set Up U.S. HQ In Virginia
According to an article in the Washington Business Journal earlier this month, international discount grocer Lidl is planning to establish its corporate offices in Arlington, Virginia. Citing sources familiar with the deal, the Journal said the Germany-based grocer will use its Arlington base to first grow in the Washington, D.C., area and then expand into […]
Posted in, Bakery News, Corporate Store News, Midwest, Store News
Hy-Vee Crowns 2015 Cake Designer Challenge Winner
Eighteen of Hy-Vee’s most creative cake designers from across the Midwest competed Saturday for a shot at being named Hy-Vee’s best cake designer in the finals of the grocer’s 2015 Cake Designer Challenge. Janine Schwendinger, cake designer at the Hy-Vee Barlow Plaza store in Rochester, Minnesota, rose to the top of the competition, taking home […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Perishables, Southeast, Store News
Kroger Donated More Than 100K Pounds Of Fresh Food To N.C. Food Bank In 2014
The Kroger Co.‘s 14 stores in North Carolina donated 137,798 pounds of fresh meat, produce, dairy and bakery items to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina in 2014 through the chain’s Perishable Donations Partnership (PDP). Collectively, the 120 stores in Kroger’s Mid-Atlantic division, which spans six states including North Carolina, contributed a […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Corporate Store News, Southwest, Suppliers
Austin-Based BeeSweet Lemonade Is Whole Foods’ Newest Loan Program Recipient
Whole Foods Market is partnering with Austin, Texas-based BeeSweet Lemonade, founded by 10-year-old Mikaila Ulmer, as the newest recipient of a low-interest loan through the company’s Local Producer Loan Program. Ulmer’s high-quality lemonade, made with mint, honey and flaxseed, currently is sold in 32 Whole Foods Market stores, with plans to expand into new regions […]