The National Retail Federation is calling new state privacy legislation signed into law in California yesterday “deeply flawed” and said customer service could be severely hampered if the legislature fails to address retailers’ concerns before the measure takes effect in 2020. The law prohibits retailers from treating customers who opt out of data sharing any […]
Category: Association News
Kroger’s New Payment Policy A Cause For Concern For Produce Industry
Kroger recently sent out a letter to produce shippers outlining its new 90-day standardized payment policy, which takes effect Aug. 1, 2018. According to a number of produce industry organizations, the new policy conflicts with protection rights under the PACA Trust, and agreeing to any extension beyond 30 days automatically forces produce suppliers to waive their PACA […]
Supreme Court Rules In Amex’s Favor In Credit Card Fee Case
In a five to four ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court yesterday backed American Express and its rules prohibiting retailers from steering customers to use other, less expensive credit cards. The response from retail organizations was swift, with the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) saying it was “disappointed” with the ruling and the National Retail Federation calling […]
NGA Celebrates 38 Executive Leadership Development Program Grads
The National Grocers Association (NGA) Foundation is celebrating the graduation of 38 grocery executives from its 2018 Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP), which took place June 3-7 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. “The next generation of leaders and executives will continue to face the shifts and ubiquitous change within the supermarket industry, and […]
House Passes Farm Bill With New SNAP Work Requirements
After weeks of negotiations hinging not just on differences over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), but also on immigration policy, the House of Representatives has passed its version of a new Farm Bill on a 213-211 vote. The Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 would replace the current Agricultural Act of 2014 when it […]
FMI: Supreme Court Sales Tax Decision Levels Competition In Food Retail
In a 5-4 decision in the case of South Dakota v. Wayfair, the Supreme Court has voted to overturn a 1992 ruling (Quill Corp. v. North Dakota) that prevented states from collecting sales tax on remote transactions unless the taxed company has a physical presence in the state. Quill was handed down in the days when the internet was […]
FMI Revisits The Power Of Foodservice As Home-Prepared Dinners Decrease
By 4 p.m., 65 percent of shoppers don’t know what they’re going to have for dinner, but they do know they want it to be fresh, healthy and convenient—an intersection that places retail foodservice in a prime growth position if it’s well executed. In its new report, “The Power of Foodservice 2018—Part 2,” the Food […]
Olé Mexican Foods Founders Inducted Into Tortilla Industry Hall Of Fame
Olé Mexican Foods founders and owners Veronica and Eduardo Moreno joined the Tortilla Industry Association’s (TIA) Hall of Fame during an induction ceremony at the 2018 TIA Annual Convention & Trade Expo, held in Desert Springs, California this month. Members of the TIA Hall of Fame have “demonstrated a level of cooperation and leadership within […]
Minnesota Grocers Association Scholarship Programs Award $70,000
The Minnesota Grocers Association Foundation (MGAF) awarded $25,000 in scholarships to Minnesota Grocers Association (MGA) member companies’ employees or their dependents for the 2018-19 school year. Using funds raised from an annual golf event and silent auction, the MGAF is able to award scholarships and community grants to support the educational growth of students with ties to […]
Secretary Of Agriculture Sonny Perdue To Keynote United Fresh 2018
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will open United Fresh‘s 2018 convention on Tuesday, June 26, in Chicago as keynote speaker. Perdue will address the key issues facing the produce industry, from immigration reform and the need for a legal workforce to NAFTA and the need to retain a fair international trade framework for agriculture. […]
Tripifoods Receives NYACS’ John MacDougall Leadership Award
Buffalo, New York-based wholesale distributor Tripifoods Inc. is the 2018 recipient of the New York Association of Convenience Stores (NYACS) John MacDougall Leadership Award. NYACS, in partnership with the John and Elaine MacDougall Foundation, created the award in 2017 to honor John MacDougall, the late NYACS co-founder and CEO of Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes. […]
The Future Of Retail Is Want-Driven Vs. Need-Based
First of all, brick-and-mortar stores are “never, ever going away.” But what they need to become may make some people uncomfortable. That is according to Michael Rogosa, global research director at Planet Retail RNG, who spoke to ROFDA members about the long-term future of retail during the group’s spring conference. He said that as brick-and-mortar […]
IDDBA 18 Expo Draws More Than 10,000 Attendees
Nearly 900 exhibiting companies and more than 10,000 people attended the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association’s (IDDBA) annual show this year, held June 10-12 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, in New Orleans. The sold-out expo consisted of 2,089 booths and offered educational experiences ranging from actionable merchandising ideas and new products to presentations […]
Indiana Grown Makes Life‑Changing Connections For Producers
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Midwest Austin and Kristen Witt have been growing blackberries on their District 6 Farm in Jasonville, Indiana, since 2015. It isn’t easy to grow blackberries in the state, but for the Witts, it was a lot easier than selling them. “This is all new to us,” said Austin Witt. “I didn’t even know […]
No New SNAP Work Requirements In ‘Bipartisan’ Senate Farm Bill
The Senate Agriculture Committee on Friday released its version of the Farm Bill, which is expected to receive bipartisan support. Notably missing from the Senate bill are provisions from the House’s version that would have introduced new work requirements to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Industry reactions to the House bill were mixed, […]
Specialty Food Association Honors Two With Lifetime Achievement Awards
This year, the Specialty Food Association (SFA) is recognizing two industry legends with Lifetime Achievement Awards. Chef Paul Prudhomme and distributor Seymour Binstein will be celebrated for their roles in helping to build specialty food into a $140 billion industry. “The mission of Specialty Food Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award is to celebrate those whose careers […]
Rhode Island Tractor Trailer Tolling Begins Monday
The first two sets of 14 planned tolls in Rhode Island will begin collecting from large commercial vehicles on Monday, June 11, opening up a new funding stream for bridge and road repairs. About $450 million per year is expected to be generated once all the toll booths are constructed. Steve Arthurs, Rhode Island Food […]
Former Gulf Oil Leader Sabia Chosen To Chair Fuels Institute
Ron Sabia, former president of Gulf Oil in Wellesley Hill, Massachusetts, was elected 2018-19 chairman of the Fuels Institute, a nonprofit research-oriented think tank that evaluates market issues related to vehicles and their fuels. It was founded by NACS in 2013. Sabia succeeds Jay Ricker, chairman of Ricker’s in Anderson, Indiana, who stepped down as chairman […]
California Perspective: Relationship-Building Plays Important Role In The Political Process
by Ron Fong/president and CEO, California Grocers Association Success in government relations often is rooted in the connections developed with legislators over the years. While politics, and lobbying specifically, is by its nature an adversarial pursuit, good government relations separate the conflict from the person you conflict with. Legislation comes and goes, but legislators stay […]
New Jersey Food Council Trade Relations Conference Draws 200 Industry Leaders
About 200 leaders from New Jersey’s food retail and distribution businesses recently gathered in Atlantic City to discuss the latest market trends and innovations during the New Jersey Food Council (NJFC) 2018 Trade Relations Conference. Dan Croce, SVP of Acme Markets, gave the feature presentation. Speaking on the “State of the Food Industry,” Croce discussed industry […]
