SpartanNash is acquiring Caito Foods Service and Blue Ribbon Transport (BRT) for approximately $217.5 million in cash. SpartanNash will acquire Caito’s produce distribution business, fresh cut fruits and vegetables business, its newly constructed Fresh Kitchen facility and the logistics business of BRT. SpartanNash said the acquisitions will enhance its product offerings by expanding into the fast-growing freshly prepared […]
Category: Suppliers
Arizona Food Marketing Alliance Recognizes State’s Best At Awards Banquet
The Arizona Food Marketing Alliance (AFMA) hosted its annual Excellence in Leadership Awards Banquet on Oct. 28 at the Phoenix Downtown Sheraton. Nearly 800 industry professionals were in attendance. AFMA has hosted the event since 1965. This year’s ceremony honored Paul Rodriguez, VP of operations for the Arizona division of Circle K, as the Retailer […]
Alabama Grocers Association Presents Awards At Food Industry Finest Luncheon
The Alabama Grocers Association held its annual Food Industry Finest Luncheon on Oct. 26 at The Club in Birmingham. More than 200 people attended the event. The group recognized its Retailer, Wholesaler and Vendor of the Year Award winners. Speakers included Secretary of Sate John Merrill and motivational speaker Dr. Kevin Elko. “Each of these […]
Washington Food Industry Association Names New Board Leaders
The Washington Food Industry Association (WFIA) has named two longtime leaders in the state’s grocery industry to lead the organization’s board of directors in 2017. Mike Erickson, chairman of Harbor Wholesale Foods in Lacey, will serve as the WFIA’s board chairman, succeeding Mike Trask of Stanlar Foods Inc. The association’s new first vice chair, Metropolitan […]
Harry’s Fresh Foods Opens Nashville Production Facility
Harry’s Fresh Foods, a Portland, Oregon-based manufacturer of premium refrigerated and frozen soups, entrées, sides and desserts, has expanded its operations with the opening of a new 200,000-s.f. production facility at 2960 Armory Drive in Nashville, Tennessee. The facility debuted Thursday and will eventually employ more than 300 workers. “We are now among the first to […]
California Grocery Veteran Bob Wilson Passes Away
Mr. Bob Wilson, who spent 30 years with Nestlé/Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream in Northern California before he retired in 2015, has died. An obituary was unavailable at the time of this report. Mr. Wilson was inducted into The Food Industry Hall of Fame last year. In a special edition recognizing him, The Shelby Report noted […]
Golfers Raise Funds For Alabama Grocers Education Foundation
The Alabama Grocers Education Foundation held its 24th annual fall golf outing on Thursday at Inverness Country Club in Birmingham. The tournament included two flights and raised funds for the Alabama Grocers Association’s Education Foundation, which funds scholarships to employees and children of employees of Alabama Grocers Association companies. To date, the foundation has awarded […]
MountainKing Introduces Holiday Gold Rush Promotion
With year-over-year sales of yellow traditional potatoes up sharply, Houston, Texas-based MountainKing Potatoes is looking to maintain the positive momentum by rolling out its Holiday Gold Rush promotion for 2016 featuring three of its freshly harvested gold varieties. MountainKing’s Holiday Gold Rush promotion features the company’s 3-lb. Buttery Bite Golds, 3-lb. Steakhouse Golds and its […]
GMDC Unveils HBW16 Product Showcase Top 10, Board Chair’s Choice Winners
Global Market Development Center (GMDC) has unveiled the top 10 rated products and merchandising displays showcased at the 2016 Health Beauty Wellness (HBW16) Marketing Conference. The conference, which was held in late September and attracted nearly 600 retailers, wholesalers and suppliers, included an annual showcase whereby retailers and wholesalers selected the brands they believed would have […]
Tobacco Giant Becomes Significant Shareholder In AB InBev After $100B SABMiller Merger
In connection with this week’s official $100 billion merger of Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller, Altria Group Inc. received 185,115,417 restricted shares of the combined company, AB InBev, representing a 9.6 percent economic and voting interest in AB InBev, and approximately $5.3 billion in pre-tax cash. In addition, Marty Barrington, Altria’s chairman, CEO and president, and […]
NatureSweet Tomatoes Taps Former Walmart, Costco Exec For Leadership Team
NatureSweet Tomatoes has named Manolo Reyes VP of business development. In his new position, Reyes is responsible for expanding the NatureSweet brand along with identifying and pursuing long-term growth opportunities to deliver sustainable profits for the company. He will report directly to CEO and President Bryant Ambelang. “I am thrilled to be joining NatureSweet, a […]
Velvet Ice Cream Completes Ohio Plant Expansion
Velvet Ice Cream has opened the largest expansion capital improvement in the company’s 102-year history. Velvet broke ground on the new 23,000-s.f. expansion, with a price tag of more than $3 million, last August. The expansion adds a new state-of-the-art warehouse freezer distribution facility to Velvet’s central Ohio plant at Ye Olde Mill in Utica, more […]
Most Consumers Say They Lack Access To Information About Food, Research Shows
More of today’s consumers crave information about food and how it’s produced—but the latest consumer trust research from The Center for Food Integrity (CFI) shows that most are hungry for more. Only 28 percent—or slightly more than one in four—strongly agree with the following statement: “I have access to all the information I want about […]
Duke Food Productions Expanding Westward With Texas Plant
Duke Food Productions, one of the top industrial food manufacturers of branded and private label brands, is establishing a new manufacturing facility in Texas. The 110,0000-s.f. plant marks the company’s first expansion outside of South Carolina. Duke anticipates a $10 million capital investment and the addition of 200 new full-time jobs at the location over […]
FDA Will Redefine ‘Healthy’ Claim For Food Labeling
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has started a public process to redefine the “healthy” nutrient content claim for food labeling. Redefining “healthy” is part of an overall plan to provide consumers with information and tools to enable them to easily and quickly make food choices consistent with public health recommendations and to encourage the […]
Bueno Foods Celebrates 65 Years Of Authentic New Mexico Chiles
Green chiles have become synonymous with the state of New Mexico. Bueno Foods is among those largely responsible for this association. It has established itself as a purveyor of family values and southwestern cuisine. This year, the business celebrates its 65th anniversary of delivering New Mexico green chiles across the U.S., while maintaining a strong […]
Upcoming Workshop Intends To Help Food Industry Manage Labeling Changes
For the first time in more than 20 years, a new Nutrition Facts label was unveiled on May 20. For the Nutrition Facts Panel, manufacturers have two years to comply. This latest update accompanies many other labeling requirements that will impact package design—including GMO disclosure, health claims, natural claims, agency-specific labeling, vending labeling and more. In […]
Texas Pete Debuts New Packaging
Texas Pete, a brand of North Carolina-based TW Garner Food Co., is rolling out new packaging for its products. “We’ve made it easier to enjoy the bold, balanced flavor of Texas Pete by adding a convenient flip-top lid,” says CEO Ann Garner Riddle. “Adding a few drops of Texas Pete to your favorite foods will […]
Dean Foods Reveals CEO Succession Plan
Dean Foods Co., the Dallas, Texas-based processor and direct-to-store distributor of fresh fluid milk and other dairy and dairy case products, said Sept. 1 that Ralph Scozzafava, EVP and COO, will succeed Gregg A. Tanner as the company’s CEO and a member of the board of directors, effective Jan. 1, 2017. For transition purposes, Tanner […]
Pinnacle Foods Appoints Kellogg’s Leader President Of Boulder Business
Pinnacle Foods has appointed Michael E. Allen, food industry veteran with significant experience leading health and wellness brands, to the position of EVP and president of its Boulder business, effective Sept 19. Allen will report to CEO Mark Clouse and replace Phil Anson, interim Boulder GM and founder of EVOL frozen foods. In his new […]
