The Shelby Report of the Southeast recently visited with Steve Garrett, president and owner of Garrett’s Piggly Wiggly stores in the Lower Alabama town of Troy, about the challenges of operating grocery stores. How did you get started in the grocery industry? My parents opened an 18,000-square-foot store in Troy in 1986, and I […]
Category: Market Profile
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Southeast
Food Insecurity, Deserts Remain Issue For Alabama Grocers
Many rural Alabamians lack access to grocery stores, resulting in “food deserts” with limited access to fresh, affordable and nutritious food. In 2024, state leaders hosted two conferences addressing the issue – the National Rural Grocery Initiative and the Feeding Change Conference. Ellie Taylor, president and CEO of the Alabama Grocers Association, presented at both. […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, Northeast
Maine’s Bow Street Market Known For Prioritizing Local Products
About 20 minutes from Portland, Maine, on the shores of Casco Bay, is Freeport, home of LL Bean and popular discount retail outlets. For nearly 80 years, this charming coastal town also has been served by Bow Street Market. Established in 1946 as a small, family-run shop, Bow Street Market has become a local institution […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, West
Steady Growth In Economy, Population On Horizon In Arizona
Lisa Bednar was promoted to president of the Arizona Food Marketing Alliance last year, taking the helm April 1. She is the first female president in the 80-plus-year history of AFMA. Bednar was promoted from her role as AFMA senior director of community and education, which she had held since February 2022 and was responsible […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, Piggly Wiggly, Southeast
Piggly Wiggly In Eutaw, AL, Endures As Town’s Only Grocer
For nearly a quarter of a century, Jacky and Sandra Hamilton have been fixtures in the grocery business. In 2001, they purchased the Piggly Wiggly in Eutaw, a rural town of fewer than 3,000 residents in western Alabama. Since 2021, their store has become the sole grocery provider and a vital hub for the community. […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, West
Los Altos Ranch Markets’ Growth In Phoenix Area Comes Via Brand Loyalty
The seven Los Altos Ranch Markets in and around Phoenix served more than 6 million customers last year. That number speaks to the affinity shoppers have for the banner, according to Prabash Coswatte, chief operating officer of Los Altos’ parent company, Heritage Grocers Group, based in Ontario, California. The first Los Altos store in Phoenix […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, Southwest
La Montañita Food Co-op Growing Roots In New Mexico
Known locally as the grocery store with a soul, La Montañita Food Co-op is making a name for itself with four locations in New Mexico – two in Albuquerque and one each in Gallup and Santa Fe. The Gallup store is La Montañita’s smallest at just 1,000 square feet, while the largest totals 20,000 square […]
Posted inAssociation News, Market Profile, Southeast
GFIA’s Kuzava Gives Updates On Impact Of Bird Flu, New Administration, Tort Reform
Kathy Kuzava, president of the Georgia Food Industry Association, took time out during one of her busiest seasons of the year – the legislative session that just got underway – to share her thoughts on several issues with existing, or potential, impact on Peach State grocers. Can you tell us the latest on the […]