by Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director, Communications and External Affairs Food safety and transparency are paramount in the grocery industry. To that end, Section 204 of the FDA’s Food Safety and Modernization Act, requiring retailers and wholesalers to comply with traceability procedures, will soon take effect. To raise awareness about FSMA 204, NGA hosted a […]
Category: Association News
Posted inThe Kroger Co., Albertsons, Association News, National
NGA Releases Statement On Kroger, Albertsons Merger
In response to the announcement made Oct. 14 of a merger between national grocery chains, Kroger and Albertsons, the National Grocers Association released the following statement: “A merger of the nation’s top two grocery chains should raise serious questions about a single supermarket giant gaining unprecedented dominance over the nation’s food supply chain,” said Greg […]
Posted inCenter Store, Association News, National
IHA Names Three Executives To Board Of Directors
Three executives have been elected to the board of directors of the International Housewares Association, the full-service trade association for the housewares industry. The incoming IHA board members are Scott Felsenthal, CEO, Whitmor; Sal Gabbay, CEO, Gibson Homewares; and Michael Hayes, chief customer officer, Newell Brands. Their three-year terms began Oct. 1 and end Sept. […]
Posted inAssociation News, National
IRI States Price Inflation Slowed For First Time In 2022
IRI has released a new report, “September 2022 Price Check: Tracking Retail Food and Beverage Inflation,” with insights regarding food inflation and its impact on consumer shopping behavior. The report leverages point-of-sale data for September and includes data across U.S. food channels, including grocery, drug, mass market, military commissaries, select club and dollar stores as well […]
Posted inAssociation News, National
CBA Reports Increased Wholesale Prices Due To New Burdens
The Consumer Brands Association has cautioned that high wholesale prices in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ readout continue to pose cost pressures for the manufacturers of consumer packaged goods. The September Producer Price Index rose 8.5 percent over last year and 0.4 percent over last month, doubling economists’ expectations with the largest month-to-month increase since May. For […]
Posted inBeverage News, Association News, Northeast
PLMA Toasts Wine, Spirits At Private Label Trade Show
From cabernet wine to ready-to-drink craft cocktails and bourbon, adult beverages are a growing store brand business for supermarkets, club stores, mass merchandisers and discounters, among other retailers, according to the New York-based Private Label Manufacturers Association. Store brand dollar sales in the liquor department increased by 17 percent to $64 million for the 52 weeks […]
Posted inPackaging News, Association News, Beverage News, National
Survey Finds Americans Have Positive Opinions On Bottled Water
Almost nine in 10 Americans say they have a positive opinion of bottled water as a beverage choice, according to a national survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of the International Bottled Water Association. More than four in five Americans say water […]
Posted inAssociation News, National
Independent Grocers Play A Vital Role In The Health Of The Nation
by Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director, Communications and External Affairs Independent retailers are a key partner on the path to ending hunger and supporting heathy diets. Retailers are community economic hubs that support community revitalization and growth. NGA members care deeply about their communities and as such have worked hard to increase access to healthy […]
Posted inAssociation News, Feature, West
Posey Ready To Guide Western Association Of Food Chains
Patrick “Pat” Posey took the helm of The Western Association of Food Chains as chief operating officer on Sept. 1, succeeding Carole Christianson, who retired but is staying on as an advisor. Scott Drew, 2022-23 WAFC president and chairman, made the leadership announcement last month, describing Posey was an “industry legend” who has “always made […]
Posted inPackaging News, Association News, Market Profile, Northeast
Food Council Seeking Shared Responsibility, Costs Of Recycling
The New Jersey Food Council is watching three proposed legislative changes. According to Linda Doherty, president and CEO, these include extended producer responsibility, liquor licensing reform and unemployment insurance. The EPR bill would require producers of packaging products sold in the state to implement stewardship plans. “Manufacturers are already working toward sustainable packaging and investing […]
Posted inAssociation News, National
Consumer Brands Shares September Jobs Report
The jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Oct. 7 showed a much-needed increase in consumer packaged goods jobs for last month, as demand for industry products remains high. According to the Consumer Brands Association’s analysis of the September BLS data, 7,748 CPG jobs were added last month, a marked improvement from the […]
Posted inAssociation News, National
The Shopper’s Journey To Health And Wellness
by Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director, Communications and External Affairs Consumers are increasingly concerned with being healthy, and at the grocery store, health and wellness means more than food and nutrition. Often built around an in-store pharmacy, health and wellness at the supermarket can include over-the-counter remedies, vitamins, nutritional supplements and other products designed to […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, National
IFPA Focused On ‘Advocating And Guiding’ With Unified Voice
The International Fresh Produce Association was launched Jan. 1 to bring a unified voice to the global produce industry. “United Fresh and PMA came together,” said Cathy Burns, CEO of the IFPA. “We established a new brand, a new vision, which is to bring the global produce industry together to create a vibrant future for […]
Posted inAssociation News, Feature, National
Food Retailers Pursuing Strategic Differentiation Strategies
Despite a challenging year marked by a persisting pandemic, historic inflation, supply chain bottlenecks and labor shortages, the food industry is making significant investments to meet shoppers’ evolving tastes. That’s the assessment of FMI – The Food Industry Association’s annual comprehensive research report, The Food Retailing Industry Speaks 2022. The survey found that food retailers […]
Posted inC-Store News, Association News, National
NACS: Gas Prices Affect Consumer Driving Patterns
Nearly half of Americans say they are driving less than they did before the pandemic hit in early 2020, and they cite gas prices as the main reason why, according to a new national consumer survey released by the National Association of Convenience Stores. Three in five drivers say gas prices are the main reason […]
Posted inAssociation News, Guest Contributors, National
Tactics For Finding, Hiring Post-Pandemic Labor Force
I hear it all the time, “Eventually people have to come back to work, right?” Everywhere I go in the U.S. and other countries – as I talk to retailers, manufacturers, service providers and wholesalers – managers are wondering when workers will actually start working. During the pandemic, millions of workers worldwide lost their jobs or […]
Posted inAssociation News, National
As Food Industry Invests In Private Brands, Key Strategies Emerge
FMI – The Food Industry Association has released its second installment of “2022 Power of Private Brands,” which surveys food retailers and manufacturers about their private brands growth strategies. Retailers report having strong goals over the next two years for their private brand portfolio, with a current average dollar share of 18.2 percent and a goal […]
Posted inAssociation News, National
NGA Releases Industry Commitments Regarding Food Insecurity
The National Grocers Association has released new industry commitments it has made in connection with the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Heath to address food insecurity in the nation. Over the next two years, NGA will assist with improving access to grocery stores by working to increase the number of retailers authorized for […]
Posted inAssociation News, Guest Contributors, National
Communities Need Grocers – And We Sure Do Need Them
As NGA’s president and CEO, I’ve had the opportunity to travel the country to visit our members, tour their stores and learn firsthand about the challenges the grocers face in serving their communities. NGA makes a point of saying it’s an association of independent community grocers. We talk quite a lot about the independent part […]
Posted inAssociation News, National
Food Safety Time With The FDA
by Jim Dudlicek / NGA Director, Communications and External Affairs September is National Food Safety Education Month, and what better way to celebrate than with an FDA checkup. NGA hosted a recent webinar in which John Marcello, senior advisor in FDA’s Office of State Cooperative Programs (OSCP), offered a joint regulatory-industry perspective on retail modernization […]