Healthy food and beverage sales growth led to positive overall sales at convenience stores in 2017, and retailers expect the momentum to continue in 2018, according to a survey of retailers recently released by the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS). A total of 103 member companies participated in the December 2017 survey. More than […]
Category: Association News
FIM Program Celebrates 60th Class At USC Marshall School Of Business
“We are delighted to welcome the 60th class of food industry executives to USC Marshall,” said Food Industry Management (FIM) Director Cynthia McCloud. “Each year companies choose their best emerging leaders to spend four months immersed in Marshall’s top ranked business education. It’s an investment of time that pays off greatly for them in the […]
CEO Of Online-Only British Grocery Chain To Keynote FMI Midwinter
As the food retail industry navigates the “e-commerce revolution” and customers shift toward purchasing opportunities beyond in-store shopping, the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) has invited Tim Steiner, co-founder and CEO of Ocado: the online supermarket, to be a keynote speaker at the 2018 Midwinter Executive Conference. FMI hopes Steiner will be able to help its members better understand […]
Guest Column: Historic Year In Connecticut Politics
by Wayne Pesce/President, Connecticut Food Association Many of us who work at the state capitol were anxious to know before the 2016 election about whether the “Trump effect” or “Malloy effect” would carry more weight at the polls in the minds of Connecticut’s voting public. Based on the results, Connecticut citizens made their feelings clear. In […]
New Maine Food Group Executive Director Working To Join Retailers And Producers
by Mike Berger/editor-Northeast Christine Cummings, new executive director of the Maine Grocers and Food Producers Association (MGFPA), will be returning to her position in January after maternity leave. She joined the association in 2017 and was promoted to executive director in June. She is excited about the growth of the association, the rise of Maine […]
NJFC Will Elect New Officers, Board Of Directors On Feb. 1
The New Jersey Food Council (NJFC) will kick off the new year with its Annual Membership Meeting on Thursday, Feb. 1, at 5:30 p.m. at the Forsgate Country Club in Monroe Township, New Jersey. This meeting will serve as a kickoff for the group’s 2018 event calendar as well as the council’s scholarship program. The […]
New York C-Store Retailers Object To Predictive Scheduling Regulations
According to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), New York convenience store operators are giving the state labor department an earful about the negative impacts of predictive scheduling regulations they are threatening to unilaterally impose on employers statewide. Retailers have filed formal comments objecting to the proposed rules, which they say would add costs […]
FDA Launches Smoking Cessation Campaign For C-Stores
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a new smoking cessation campaign aimed at encouraging smokers to quit with messages that highlight the health benefits of not smoking. The FDA says these messages will be displayed in and around gas stations and convenience stores. “Tobacco companies have long used advertisements at convenience stores and gas […]
New Jersey Expands Retailer Access To WIC Nutrition Program
The New Jersey Food Council (NJFC) praised the announcement by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s administration to enhance access to the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) nutrition program for retailers, while also removing policy barriers for WIC customers. “We are pleased that grocery stores, bodegas and other food retailers can now begin the application process […]
2018 IGA Hometown Proud Retailers Are The ‘Best Of The Best’
The Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) has revealed its 2018 IGA Hometown Proud Retailers, representing the “best of the best from IGA’s progressive independent retailers in the United States.” “Submitted by our IGA Licensed Distribution Centers as their candidate for IGA USA International Retailer of the Year, these Five-Star IGA Hometown Proud retailers represent the best […]
Industry Orgs React To Senate Passage Of Tax Reform Bill
The Senate voted over the weekend to pass its version of tax reform, and industry organizations have been quick to voice their support for the move, urging the House and Senate to come together on a final bill. Greg Ferrara, SVP of government relations and public affairs at the National Grocers Association (NGA), released this […]
NECSEMA Announces Agenda For Nov. 30 Annual Meeting
The New England Convenience Store & Energy Marketers Association (NECSEMA) will host its annual meeting and networking dinner today, Nov. 30, at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center in Norwood, Massachusetts. The event begins with a tabletop networking reception at 5:30 p.m. with 20 exhibitors expected to attend. Keith Matheny, a motivational speaker, […]
ROFDA Fall Conference: ‘Bold Moves’ Needed In New Era Of Grocery
How does an independent grocer leverage e-commerce in this “new era” of grocery retailing? That is the question Steve Bishop, managing partner, Brick Meets Click, attempted to answer at the ROFDA Fall Conference. While e-commerce is a small percentage of sales today, it is a disproportionately important part of the business. Bishop said Amazon’s acquisition […]
GMA Urges Senate Passage Of Tax Reform Legislation
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) is urging the U.S. Senate to pass a comprehensive tax reform bill this week for businesses and consumers. “Our industry, the largest sector of American manufacturing jobs, calls on the Senate to quickly pass tax reform legislation,” said Pamela G. Bailey, president and CEO of GMA. “Tax reform is necessary […]
Industry Orgs Urge House To Pass ADA Reform Legislation
The National Grocers Association (NGA), a trade association representing the independent supermarket industry, and 28 state trade associations this week urged the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the ADA Reform and Education Act of 2017 (H.R. 620) in a letter sent to lawmakers. According to the organizations, the legislation would “protect businesses from frivolous lawsuits brought […]
Dairy Farmers In New England Approve 2018 Promotion Programs
Dairy farmer leaders representing six Northeast states recently voted to approve the 2018 budget and program proposals for the New England Dairy Promotion Board (NEDPB) and New England Dairy & Food Council (NEDFC). The action to approve the $5.5 million budget came at the annual meeting of the two organizations that develop and carry out […]
GMA Panelists Examine ‘The Future Retail Reality’
Louise Keely, global head of retail for Nielsen, Jay Nikolich, divisional VP of e-commerce at Pharmavite LLC and Jonathan Scherr, head of strategic partnerships at CircleUp, came together to discuss “The Future Retail Reality” at the Grocery Manufacturers Association Leadership Forum at The Greenbrier in West Virginia in September. Pharmavite offers vitamins, minerals and herbal […]
NACS Reveals The Best C-Store Concepts In 2017 Ideas 2 Go
The Ideas 2 Go program, an annual presentation at the NACS Show—this year held in October in Chicago—showcased emerging concepts that redefine convenience. Since 1994, Ideas 2 Go has provided a fast-paced video tour of some of the most creative and potentially profitable ideas in the convenience and fuel retailing industry. The eight featured segments as […]
NACS Predicts Strong Thanksgiving Traffic, Shopper Spending
With the holiday shopping season fast approaching, a record 93 percent of Americans say they will be driving the same or more this month, and they anticipate spending more over that same time period, according a recent NACS Consumer Fuels Survey. Nearly three in four consumers (72 percent) say they will spend the same or […]
AFMA Honors Excellence In Leadership Award Recipients
The Arizona Food Marketing Alliance (AFMA) hosted its annual Excellence in Leadership Awards Banquet honoring Steve McKinney, president of Fry’s Food Stores, Retailer of the Year; Karen Cox, division VP Southern Arizona and New Mexico of Swire Coca-Cola, Supplier of the Year; and Tom Shope, owner of Shope’s IGA, who was inducted into the Arizona […]
