Brick-and-mortar retailers, including grocers, remain the primary point of purchase for consumers, accounting for about 70 percent of total retail sales in the nation, according to Lorena Holley, VP and general counsel for the Florida Retail Federation. The grocery industry in Florida has remained resilient, Holley noted, with FRF members “actively finding ways to stretch […]
Category: Market Profile
Posted inIndependent Store News, International Foods, Market Profile, Southwest
Seafood City Sets Up Shop In Sugar Land, TX
Seafood City in Sugar Land is the first Filipino-focused specialty supermarket to open in Texas. The 50,000-square-foot one-stop shop is located in the First Colony Commons shopping center in what was formerly Conn’s Furniture store. Attracting shoppers from well over a 60-mile radius, the store has quickly become a popular destination, drawing more than 3,000 […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Albertsons, Association News, The Kroger Co., West
In ‘Complicated Time,’ Grocers See Shift In Shopper Preferences
Election years are a busy time for any trade group and this year is no exception for the California Grocers Association. “Politically we’re going through an interesting time in Southern California and the entire state right now. The presidential election this fall has created a headwind of sorts,” said Nate Rose, the group’s senior director […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Albertsons, Association News, Southwest
As North Texas Grows, Grocery Industry ‘Very Competitive’
When looking at northern Texas – and specifically the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex – it is important to note it is a region that spans more than 9,000 miles. Depending on the source and direction viewed, North Texas is either teeming with retail grocery options or in desperate need of them. Take Dallas, for instance. To the […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Southwest
El Rio Grande Latin Market Largest Local Hispanic Grocer In DFW
Last summer, El Rio Grande Latin Market opened its ninth store in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The opening earned owner Hamdy Shalabi the distinction of becoming the largest locally-based Hispanic grocer in the market. As anyone who has shopped in one of his family’s stores can attest, El Rio Grand Latin Markets are far from […]
Posted inMarket Profile, West
Raine’s Offers Eureka Variety Along ‘Loneliest Road In America’
Scott Raine loves a challenge. And running the only grocery store in Eureka, Nevada, provides plenty of them. Raine owns and operates Raine’s Market along with his mother, Lee, and his wife, Silvia. Scott and Silvia’s sons – Steel, Sabre, Storm and Strider – also work at the store. The “greater metropolitan area” of Eureka […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Midwest
Nebraska’s Food Industry Finds Itself In ‘Interesting Position’
Ansley Fellers, executive director of the Nebraska Grocery Industry Association, said the state’s food industry is in “an interesting position.” Although it is large, the eastern side is the most populated, with the western side being very rural. Fellers said a recent study by the Nebraska Grocery Industry Association to gauge how many independent grocery […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Northeast
New Hampshire Grocery Industry Gets Creative With Employee Shortages
As a whole, New Hampshire had a good year economically in 2023, providing a healthy runway for 2024, according to Kevin Daigle, president and CEO of the New Hampshire Grocers Association. He said the state’s workforce returned to pre-pandemic levels, and population growth continues to outpace the New England region. “Unemployment remains low and economic […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Midwest
Independents Impacted By Warm Winter In North Dakota
Weather can greatly influence shopper behavior and that was the case in North Dakota this winter. The state, which is normally cold and snowy from November through March, has been exactly opposite of what its 780,000 residents typically experience. John “Jiggs” Dyste, president of the North Dakota Grocers Association, pointed out that the change in […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, West
Report: Nevada Has Second Highest Average Weekly Grocery Spend
Nevada has a population of about 3.2 million, having grown at an annualized 1.4 percent over the five years to 2023, according to IBIS World. The Silver State’s gross state product in 2023 reached $170.1 billion, growing 17.5 percent over the five years to 2023. Nevada’s market size in the supermarket and grocery industry was […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Southwest
Independent Grocers Helping West Texas Weather Challenges
Independent grocers in West Texas have certainly weathered some challenging times as of late. From supply chain and e-commerce issues to inflation, labor and financial constraints, grocers in the Amarillo, El Paso and Lubbock regions have been dealing with a significant amount of upheaval. Chad Collen, director of retail experience/sales for Grocers Supply, said the […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Southeast
Alabama’s Grocery Tax Poised For Further Reduction This Year
After more than a decade of hard work, the reduction of Alabama’s grocery tax is finally a reality, according to Alabama Grocers Association President Ellie Taylor. Act 2023-554 passed the Alabama legislature, and on Sept. 1, 2023, the grocery tax rate was reduced from 4 percent to 3 percent. Alabama now joins the 47 other […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Midwest
Krause’s Market Prides Itself On Variety For Shoppers
Kari Olson and her, brother Dalles Jr., who operate Krause’s Market, know a thing or two about running a grocery store in a rural area. In one form or another, Olson and her family have been in the retail food business in North Dakota since World War II. The family’s first store opened 80 years […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Albertsons, Southwest, Vista Markets
Vista Markets Serves Evolving El Paso With Plentiful Perishables
Vista Markets started out in the early 1980s as a small, standalone bakery in El Paso, Texas. At the time, it was operated by owner Mike Piña and just two employees. Through the years, Mike’s brothers, Oscar and Armando, joined the business. In 1987, they opened their first small supermarket with a bakery. Today, Vista […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Albertsons, Association News, Giant Food, Northeast
Delaware Known For Strong Economy, Business Friendliness
Delaware is one of the fastest-growing states in the country. According to U.S. Census Bureau, the population of The First State increased 10.2 percent from 2010 to 2020. And, current estimates show the number of people moving to the state has continued to climb in the past three years. People are coming to Delaware for […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Northeast
Sleeper’s Market Offers Something For Everyone In Caribou, ME
Family-operated since 1914, Sleeper’s Market has had to continuously evolve its business to remain competitive and relevant. Located in Caribou, Maine, this 10,000-square-foot location is part grocery, part clothing store. And being close to the Canadian border means Sleeper’s caters to both American and Canadian customers. Founded by Joseph Sleeper Sr., the store is now […]
Posted inBJ's Wholesale Club, Albertsons, Association News, Market Profile, Northeast
Maine Sees Evolving Retail Landscape, Population Shift
Maine is known for its picturesque mountain and coastal landscapes, as well as its seafaring traditions, agricultural and forestry businesses. It also is a state dealing with economic and workforce challenges and an evolving retail landscape. Layered on top of this, Maine is experiencing a profound pandemic-fueled population shift. COVID had (and is still having) […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, Southwest
With Heart For Small Towns, Lowe’s Excellent Fit In New Mexico
Owned and operated by the Lowe’s family (now in its third generation), Lowe’s Markets is well known and appreciated by residents of New Mexico. Headquartered in Littlefield, Texas – just 44 miles from the New Mexico border – Lowe’s operates 22 stores in the state under the banners of Lowe’s Market (11), Super Save (four), […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Albertsons, Association News, Southwest
Food Deserts Serious Reality In Parts Of Rural New Mexico
Challenging is a word some might use to describe the state of supermarkets in New Mexico. Others see it as ripe for changes, that if instituted, would benefit retailers as well as economically challenged residents. While surrounding states are thriving in terms of population and economy, New Mexico hasn’t fared as well in recent years. […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Midwest
Community Support Vital To Success Of Chris’ Food Center
Sandstone, Minnesota is a small town of about 1,500 residents. The official count is about 2,900, but that includes 1,400 federal prisoners who don’t buy groceries, according to Craig Thorvig, who owns and operates Chris’ Food Center with his wife, Kristee. Chris’ Food Center is the lone supermarket in town, with the only other options […]