Potatoes USA debuted a new consumer marketing campaign at its annual meeting in Denver. The “What Are You Eating?” campaign is designed to encourage athletes to use potatoes as fuel for athletic performance. It also is intended to re-frame potato nutrition messaging, from providing reasons why it is okay to eat potatoes to providing the reasons why consumers should eat them […]
Category: Association News
Posted inAssociation News, Home Page Latest News, National
NGA Honors Rep. McMorris Rodgers With Spirit Of America Award
The National Grocers Association (NGA) and the Washington Food Industry Association (WFIA) this week presented the NGA Spirit of America Award to Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) in recognition of her efforts to “preserve and foster the principles of free enterprise and advance pro-growth policies that supports the independent supermarket industry.” Jan Gee, president and […]
Posted inFrozen Food, Association News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Marketing News, Merchandising News, Store News, West
SCFRC Luncheon Panelists Prepare For The Future Of Frozen Foods
Earlier this year, the Southern California Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Council hosted a kick-off luncheon in Commerce, California, featuring an industry panel discussion on how to increase frozen and refrigerated food sales in 2018. Panelists included Jim Amen with Super A, Margie Bravo with Nestle USA, Rich Gillmore with Gelson’s, Chris Linskey with Super King, Mike […]
Posted inAssociation News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Produce News, Southwest
Viva Fresh Expo Welcomes Texas A&M Students For Third Year
This year’s Viva Fresh Produce Expo again will feature the Aggies for Fresh Reception after two successful years of offering students the opportunity to connect one-on-one with attendees, with many of those students securing positions within the industry as a result. Aggies for Fresh is a campaign created to recruit students from Texas A&M University to the fresh produce industry. This year’s nine Aggies for Fresh scholarship […]
Posted inBeverage News, Association News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, National
Small And Independent Brewers See Sustained Growth In 2017
The Brewers Association (BA), the trade association representing small and independent American craft brewers, has released 2017 data on U.S. craft brewing growth, and the news is good. With more than 6,300 breweries operating during the year, small and independent craft brewers represent 12.7 percent market share by volume of the overall beer industry. In 2017, craft brewers produced […]
Posted inDairy News, Association News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, National
National Milk Producers Federation Lauds Spending Bill For Dairy Pride Act Language
The congressional spending bill signed by the President on March 23 directs the FDA to take action against imitation dairy foods, “representing a victory for farmers and consumers alike,” said the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) in a response to the bill. The omnibus spending bill to fund the government for the remainder of Fiscal […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Association News, C-Store News, Industry News, National, Store News
NACS, RTO Take ‘Be Our Guest’ Customer Service Training Online
The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) and Ready Training Online (RTO) have released a training module called “Be Our Guest,” that previously was only available in DVD format. “We’ve made it easy for convenience retailers to gain new skills and learn best practices, right from the computer right from the computer in a store […]
Posted inHealth & Wellness, Association News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, National
Industry Reacts To Bipartisan Policy Center Report On SNAP
In 2017, the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) launched a 13-member task force to explore strategies for promoting healthy nutrition through public programs and policies related to food and health. The task force focused on what it says are opportunities to strengthen and improve the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food assistance to more […]
Posted inNortheast, Association News
Alcohol Sales & Distribution Laws Among PFMA Legislative Priorities
Alcohol wholesale and retail sales reform remains a top legislative priority this year for the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA). “PFMA made great progress on long-standing issues in 2017, and we will work with our members in 2018 to get our priority legislation passed into law,” said Alex Baloga, president and CEO. PFMA plans to continue […]
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Independent Grocers Urge Congress To Oppose ‘Harvest Box’ Proposal
The National Grocers Association (NGA) sent a letter on behalf of the independent supermarket industry to Capitol Hill on Friday, March 2, urging opposition to the White House’s harvest box proposal, which would drastically change the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by replacing about 40 percent of SNAP benefits with a government run food delivery […]
Posted inNortheast, Association News, Industry News
SNAP Food Box Plan Draws Backlash In Washington, D.C.
Retailers, hunger advocacy groups and lawmakers have criticized the federal proposal turning the federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) program into a food delivery program, noted the Massachusetts Food Association (MFA) in a recently weekly newsletter, quoting the National Grocers Association (NGA). The release of the proposal, according to NGA, caught Washington by surprise because […]
Posted inThe Independent Perspective, Association News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content
Larkin: Five Priorities For Independent Grocers In The 2018 Farm Bill
by Peter Larkin/ president and CEO, National Grocers Association Special to The Shelby Report Congress has the chance to strengthen the food security safety net, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, for recipients and retailers in the 2018 Farm Bill. Every five years, Congress must pass a comprehensive omnibus bill that’s one of […]
Posted inPackaging News, Association News, Executive News, Industry News, National
Reusable Packaging Association Names 2018 Board Of Directors
Four new directors have joined three returning directors on the Reusable Packaging Association’s (RPA) board following elections for the two-year term of 2018-19. The four new directors are: Andrae Kirkland, senior analyst-Craft Integration & Reverse Logistics Process Improvement, Anheuser-Busch InBev Brandon D’Emidio, director of marketing and product management, CHEP Paul Pederson, VP of protein and […]
Posted inNortheast, Association News
New England Food Show Gets Under Way This Weekend
The National Restaurant Association (NRA) and the Massachusetts Restaurant Association (MRA) are partnering for the third consecutive year for the New England Food Show set at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) on Feb. 25-27. The NEFS exhibit floor will be open Sunday, Feb. 25, and Monday, Feb. 26, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and […]
Posted inAssociation News, C-Store News, National, Store News
Driving Habits Stable Despite Turbulent Stock Market, Rising Gas Prices
According to a National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Consumer Fuels survey, consumer optimism has dipped in February, but Jeff Lenard, NACS VP of strategic industry initiatives, said it does not mean consumer spending is poised to suffer. A turbulent stock market compounded by a 9-cent increase in gas prices lowered February consumer economic optimism […]
Posted inAssociation News, Albertsons, Home Page Latest News, Southwest
WAFC Invites Texas Retailers To Its San Antonio Convention In May
by Lorrie Griffith/editor–West The Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC) is taking its 97th annual convention eastward. The gathering will take place May 5-9 at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country in San Antonio, Texas. The WAFC already may be familiar to Texas grocers; the association’s Community College Retail Management Certificate Program “has expanded to […]
Posted inCalifornia Perspective, Association News, Home Page Latest News, Shelby Content, West
California Perspective: Strength Comes In Unity
by Ron Fong/president and CEO, California Grocers Association Have you ever stopped to closely look at a piece of rope? Like one, for example, used to tie a boat, or even a ship, to a dock? It can actually be a little shocking. Because if you did, you would see that the big, bulky, strong […]
Posted inAssociation News, Home Page Latest News, Merchandising News, Southeast, Suppliers
Foodland, Western Market Win ‘Buy Alabama’s Best’ Display Contest
The Alabama Grocers Association (AGA), the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries and the Alabama Food Manufacturers and Producers Association recently gathered for the 2018 Buy Alabama’s Best Retail Campaign Awards luncheon at The Club in Birmingham. “Buy Alabama’s Best” displays feature participating Alabama food products to help consumers identify which products are headquartered, produced […]
Posted inNortheast, Association News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News
Truck Toll Station Construction Under Way In Rhode Island
Steve Arthurs, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Food Dealers Association (RIFDA) has informed his members that the first toll gantries will be going up in the state this week. This is the first tolling system in the Ocean State for tractor-trailers. Arthurs said once these gantries are completed, “it is widely believed they […]
Posted inAssociation News, Executive News, Home Page Latest News, National
NGA Show Opens With Strong Attendance, 2018 Board Named
The National Grocers Association (NGA) opened its 2018 NGA Show yesterday with more than 3,000 attendees and experienced a 12 percent increase in its retailer/wholesaler attendance. Attendees heard from General Michael Hayden, former director of the CIA and NSA, during Sunday’s opening keynote address, sponsored by The Kraft Heinz Co. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue […]