Posted inAssociation News, National

Driving Profits With Own-Branded Spirits

by Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director, Communications and External Affairs The demand for private-label products is increasing, along with a desire among consumers for products with authenticity. Independent grocers can unite these interests and boost their profits with own-branded spirits. The National Grocers Association hosted a recent webinar that presented a guidebook to the world […]

Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Midwest

MGA’s Shaul Hopes Industry Learns From Supply Chain Reaction

Dan Shaul, executive director of the Missouri Grocers Association, and his members are dealing with many of the same issues that consistently trouble the industry nationwide, with supply chain challenges and labor shortages atop the list.  These issues have been exacerbated due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are just symptoms of each other, according to […]

Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Southeast

Retailers In Kentucky Face ‘Slow And Sluggish’ Economy

Supply chain continues to be a challenge for Kentucky grocers, as they are having difficulty getting products to put on the shelves. There also are related issues such as the drought and late planting due to flood, said Steve McClain, director of communications and public affairs for the Kentucky Grocers and Convenience Store Association.  “We […]

Posted inAssociation News, Market Profile, National

Briefing Examines What’s Responsible For Rise In Grocery Prices 

Why are food costs higher today than two years ago? That was the question addressed Aug. 10 by FMI – The Food Industry Association as it hosted an online briefing, “Peering Inside Food Inflation’s Black Box.”  The speakers were Andrew Harig, VP of tax trade, sustainability and policy development for FMI; and Ricky Volpe, associate […]

Posted inAssociation News, National

IRI: Consumers Eat More Meals At Home To Offset Rising Costs

To offset rising food costs, consumers are bargain hunting when grocery shopping, eating more meals at home and cutting back on restaurant visits, reports IRI and The NPD Group, which recently merged to create a leading global technology, analytics and data provider. The nearly $1.5 trillion at- and away-from-home food market is forecast to grow around 8 percent in […]

Posted inAssociation News, National

FMI Finds Shoppers Remain Resilient Against Rising Food Prices

FMI – The Food Industry Association has released the fifth edition of the “U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2022” series focused on back to school season. It found that 90 percent of shoppers are concerned about some aspect of food accessibility, with 61 percent concerned about rising prices specifically – an increase of eight percentage points since […]

Posted inAssociation News, Guest Contributors, National

Independents Are Increasingly Resilient, Creative And Nimble

The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the most challenging business environments that independent community grocers have had to face – and it’s not over yet. The sudden shift in retail spending behavior during the second quarter of 2020 drove record supermarket sales. Grocers moved mountains to keep shelves stocked while contending with operational challenges, […]