A college assignment helped steer Bob Kleszics into a career in the grocery business. Founder and CEO of Harvest Market in Hockessin, Delaware, Kleszics was an anthropology major at the University of Delaware in 1979 when he took a field methods class. For the course, the student goes outside the classroom and into a group’s […]
Category: Independent Store News
Posted inIndependent Store News, Midwest, News, Schnucks
Schnucks Donates $112K To Support The Urban League
Schnucks Markets Inc., in partnership with its customers, donated $112,000 to support the Urban League through the fifth annual “Round Up at the Register.” The campaign ran Feb. 5-18, with customers donating $97,364 and Schnucks providing an additional $14,636. Customers had the option at checkout to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar, with […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Corporate Store News, Feature, West
Latinos Are Driving Retail Force Across West
by Diana Leza Sheehan / founder, principal consultant, PDG Insights In this new series, we explore the opportunity created for retailers by targeting Latino grocery consumers across the United States. For context, the Latino population in 2024 reached about 66 million, or about 19.5 percent of the total U.S. population. Spending power among this […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Midwest, Retailer of the Year
BFS Transitioning Focus From Customer Service To Hospitality
Balls Food Stores has been recognized as The Shelby Report of the Midwest’s 2025 Retailer of the Year, an honor that celebrates the company’s dedication to innovation, community service and operational excellence. Scott Bayne, EVP of operations, attributes this recognition to the company’s forward-thinking leadership, commitment to its teammates and ongoing transformation into a teammate […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Balls Foods, Midwest, Retailer of the Year
BFS Charts Future With Employee Ownership, Growth Initiatives
Kansas City, Kansas-based Balls Food Stores (BFS) – The Shelby Report of the Midwest’s 2025 Retailer of the Year – is embarking on an ambitious new chapter, marked by employee ownership, a strategic growth initiative and deep commitment to its teammates. The independent grocer, which operates 25 stores under the Hen House, Price Chopper, Sun […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Private Label Brands, West
Market Of Choice Launches New Private Label Line
Market of Choice, Oregon’s largest independent, family-owned grocer, is strengthening its commitment to local producers with Craft & Kitchen, its new private label line. The line includes premium dairy products and center-store pantry staples distinguished by recipes and flavors created with Oregon makers and Market of Choice chefs. Market of Choice stores have the largest […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Big Y Foods, Northeast
Big Y Donates $75K To Red Cross For California Wildfire Relief
Big Y Foods has donated $75,000 to support the American Red Cross network’s humanitarian relief efforts to those affected by the wildfires in California. The Springfield, Massachusetts-based supermarket chain collected donations from customers and employees Jan. 17-31 in-store, online and myExpress Checkout Mobile app. The total also included contributions from Big Y. “We are truly […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Northeast, ShopRite
ShopRite Cheerios Contest Raises $1.3M For Food Banks
ShopRite’s recent ShopRite Partners In Caring Cheerios Contest raised $1.3 million, which the company attributed to customers’ generosity and the dedication of its associates who helped raise awareness around food insecurity. As part of the annual hunger-fighting tradition, employees from the top fundraising stores will be featured on limited-edition Cheerios cereal boxes the grocer sells […]