Tyler Renaghan, VP of grocery at Upside, visited with The Griffin Report following Groceryshop 2024 in Las Vegas. The app from the Washington, D.C.-based technology company rewards cash back to users through partnerships with retailers. The scope of its services includes all aspects of retail, but the grocery industry in particular has used it to […]
Category: Feature
Posted inSnacks Brands, C-Store News, Feature, Northeast
Mars Wrigley Executive: Convenience Store Shoppers Seeking More Variety
Mars Wrigley boasted a strong presence at the 2024 NACS Show in Las Vegas, with its booth showcasing several new products and twists on some of its classic offerings. After the show, Mike Gilroy, the company’s VP of trade development and sponsorship, shared the following recap with The Griffin Report. What is new with […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Feature, National
Exec From nCountR: Reaching Shoppers At Store Level Vitally Important
As popular as e-commerce has become, about 80 percent of retail transactions still take place in the real world, at the store. “Every retailer, including some of the largest on the planet, see more foot traffic than they do digital traffic by a very large factor,” noted Hans Fischmann, VP and GM of the nCountR […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Albertsons, Feature, National
Ibotta Digital Promo Network Powers Loyalty Programs
Denver-based Ibotta powers cash-back rewards for companies including Albertsons, Dollar General, H-E-B, Instacart, Kroger, Schnuck Markets, Sprouts, Walmart and many others. Shoppers download the app and can get rewards by scanning a receipt or linking their store loyalty account to the app to earn points. To date, 50 million people have downloaded the app and […]
Posted inProduce News, Feature, National
Zespri Wants ‘People To Have Fun’ In Produce Category
Zespri Kiwifruit, the world’s leading kiwifruit brand, continues to make waves in the North American market. Jeanne Wilson, head of marketing, North America, shared the company’s success story at the recent Global Produce & Floral Show in Atlanta, Georgia. “We’re the No. 1-selling kiwi brand,” Wilson emphasized. “We sell five times more than any other […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Fareway, Feature, Midwest
Fareway Stores’ Headquarters Moves To Johnston, IA
Fareway Stores has completed the move to its new corporate headquarters in Johnston, Iowa, a suburb west of Des Moines that’s about a 30-minute drive from the grocer’s former base in Boone, north of the city. However, the Boone complex continues to be home to more than 100 staff members on the wholesale/warehouse side of […]
Posted inFeature, National, Produce News
IFPA Unveils New Strategic Plan To Drive Global Growth, Influence
Tammy DeBoer, president of Harris Teeter and incoming chair of the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), outlined a new strategic plan during her address at the recent Global Produce & Floral Show in Atlanta, Georgia. The plan, focused on three key pillars – worldwide influence, personalized member experience and future-proofing the industry – aims to […]
Posted inHarps Food Stores, Association News, Executive News, Feature, National
Executive Perspectives: Kim Eskew
After planning to pursue an engineering career, Kim Eskew saw the opportunities that grocery retail had to offer and turned an entry-level position into a lifelong career with Springdale, Arkansas-based Harps Food Stores. Now the company’s chairman and CEO, Eskew shared his thoughts on leadership, management and getting started in the industry with NGA’s Independent […]
Posted inFeature, Northeast
In Remembrance: The Griffin Report Co-Founder
Mary Rose McCarty Griffin, who founded The Griffin Report of the Northeast alongside her husband, the late John H. Griffin, died Oct. 14, 2024, at her home in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, at age 90. Born on Jan. 6, 1934, in Waltham, Massachusetts, she was the daughter of the late Mary and Raymond McCarty. According to […]
Posted inThe Kroger Co., Executive News, Feature, National, Produce News
Kroger CEO McMullen Discusses Navigating Bifurcated Market, Future Of Food
The recent Global Produce & Floral Show in Atlanta, Georgia, provided a platform for industry leaders to discuss the evolving landscape of the grocery industry. In a candid conversation with moderator Patrick Vizzone, Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen shed light on the dynamics shaping consumer behavior and the company’s strategic response. McMullen highlighted the […]
Posted inFeature, Southeast
DeCA Aims To Draw Shoppers, Ensure Offerings Meet Their Needs
The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) is making significant strides to increase its customer base and enhance product offerings, according to Edward Walters III, executive director of sales, marketing and e-commerce. DeCA is working to attract more eligible shoppers to its commissaries. Walters emphasized the importance of reaching those who may not be aware of their […]
Posted inFeature, Southeast
DeCA Striving To Boost Sales, Savings For Patrons Worldwide
The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA), headquartered at Fort Gregg-Adams in Virginia, operates a worldwide chain of 235 commissaries providing groceries to U.S. military personnel, retirees, service-related disabled veterans and their families. Under the leadership of Director and CEO John Hall, DeCA is aiming to significantly boost sales and savings for its patrons. Hall, who has […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Albertsons, Corporate Store News, Feature, Guest Contributors, Harps Food Stores, Southwest, The Kroger Co.
Led by Lone Star State, Southwestern U.S. Ripe For Grocers
by Diana Leza Sheehan The grocery retail landscape in the American Southwest is a dynamic and evolving ecosystem. This region – defined by The Shelby Report as Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas – is characterized by a blend of national grocers and innovative regional independents. These players are not only competing but learning […]
Posted inMarketing News, Amazon Fresh, Feature, Southeast, Whole Foods
Diversification Helps Acosta Group Connect Shoppers With Brands
The core purpose of Acosta Group is to “help connect shoppers with brands that they love, anywhere that they want to buy them, in this omnichannel environment,” said Darian Pickett, chief global client officer for the company, during an interview at the NACS Show in October with The Shelby Report’s Jan Meade. Understanding today’s shoppers […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Feature, Southeast
Houchens Food Group Honors Food Giant MS Store Managers In Hattiesburg
Houchens Food Group’s Store Manager Appreciation Awards events continued in August for both Food Giant divisions. Events were held in Biloxi and Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Dothan, Alabama. A luncheon was held Aug. 15 at Doubletree by Hilton in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Special speakers included Stephanie Reid from Shelby Publishing, Shane Allison from Alliance Retail Group and […]
Posted inBeverage News, Amazon Fresh, Feature, West, Whole Foods
Commitment To Quality, Consistency Key to Gaviña Coffee Co.’s Success
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, The Shelby Report of the West recently visited with Lisette Gaviña Lopez, a fourth-generation coffee roaster at her family’s business, Vernon, California-based Gaviña Coffee Company. Company history For those unfamiliar with Gaviña Coffee Company, can you provide a brief overview of the company’s history? The Gaviña coffee legacy began […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Feature, Midwest
STF Committed To Positive, Supportive Environment For Diverse Workforce
Seaboard Triumph Foods, a joint venture between Seaboard Foods and Triumph Foods, recently marked its seventh anniversary of operations in Sioux City, Iowa. The state-of-the-art STF pork processing facility has become a cornerstone of the local economy, as it is the largest employer in the city. STF processes about 22,000 hogs per day, producing a […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Feature, Midwest
Seaboard Triumph Foods’ Media Tour Highlights Connected Food System
Seaboard Foods, a leading pork processor, recently hosted a media tour of its Seaboard Triumph Foods processing facility in Sioux City, Iowa. The tour was followed by a question-and-answer session with company executives. STF is a joint venture of Seaboard Foods and Triumph Foods. Before entering the processing facility floor, those on the tour were […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Feature, Southeast
Houchens Food Group Honors Food Giant Store Managers In Dothan, AL
Houchens Food Group’s Store Manager Appreciation Awards events continued in August for both Food Giant divisions. Events were held in Biloxi and Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Dothan, Alabama. A luncheon was held Aug. 27 at Spring Hill Suites in Dothan, Alabama. Special speakers included Stephanie Reid from Shelby Publishing, Shane Allison from Alliance Retail Group and […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Feature, Midwest
Seaboard Foods Showcases Iowa Sow Farm Operations
Seaboard Foods, a leading pork producer, has been building its connected food system since the early 1990s. The company recently hosted a tour for industry media of one of its 98 sow farms. A farm located outside of Sioux City, Iowa, provided participants a glimpse into the company’s operations, highlighting its commitment to animal welfare […]