Mike Planalp, owner of Blackford County Foods, in Fishers, Indiana, sees the biggest challenge to independent grocers and their growth is the federal government’s failure to enforce the Robinson-Patman Act of 1936. The act is an antitrust law that guarantees a competitive grocery marketplace. He operates six Save A Lot food stores in Indiana, a […]
Category: Market Profile
Posted inMarket Profile, Midwest
At Leppinks Food Centers, Each Store A ‘True Neighborhood Market’
Leppinks Food Centers is a fourth-generation, family-operated company headquartered in Belding, Michigan. The seven Leppink stores are owned and run by John Leppink, his brother-in-law, Rich Cole, and John’s cousin, Ransom Leppink. John Leppink, the majority owner, has four of the Leppinks locations but also six Save A Lot Food Stores and a True Value […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Albertsons, West
Great Falls’ Everyday IGA Stores Ready To Launch E-Commerce Program
All things considered, Rich Chadwick’s two Everyday IGA stores in Great Falls, Montana, and Teeple’s IGA in Browning are enjoying a strong state and local economy. “I think the economy has grown in Great Falls. I think wages have grown quite a lot in the Great Falls area,” said Chadwick, adding that there are several […]
Posted inAssociation News, Market Profile, Northeast
Massachusetts Association Juggling Various Legislative Issues
Chris Flynn, president of the Massachusetts Food Association, said officials are dealing with various legislative issues, including the expansion of a bottle law, treatment of animals and credit cards. Lawmakers in late 2021 approved a 2016 voter-approved law tweaked by lawmakers that requires larger enclosures for egg-laying chickens, according to the Gloucester Daily Times. The […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Northeast
Roche Bros. Celebrating 70th Anniversary
Pat and Bud Roche opened their first store in 1952 in Roslindale, Massachusetts, according to the Roche Bros. website. “This first meat and produce store expanded in 1957 to include a grocery department,” it reads. Today, the neighborhood grocer has 16 Roche Bros. locations and four Brothers Marketplace banners in Massachusetts. The store is owned […]
Posted inMarket Profile, West
International Marketplace Bounces Back In Point Roberts
Ali Hayton, owner of Point Roberts International Marketplace, went through a difficult 2021. When she last spoke to The Shelby Report in April of that year, she had lost a substantial amount of foot traffic and revenue due to the Canada-U.S. border closure that stemmed from the COVID-19 pandemic. Point Roberts, a small town near […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Home Page Latest News, Southeast
For Lone Grocer In Carrabelle, ‘If The Weather’s Good, We’re Busy’
Richard Holley didn’t start his career in the grocery industry, but he has found a home there. The store manager of Gulfside IGA Plus in Carrabelle, Florida, had traveled extensively for previous jobs before he decided to settle down. A self-proclaimed military brat, Holley’s parents hailed from Panama City Beach, which is where they ended up […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Southeast
Independents In Sunshine State Not Immune To Workforce Issues
Florida’s economy continues to be “very robust” and the state legislature recently approved a budget of about $109 billion while “still banking an additional $11 billion in reserves,” said Lorena Holley, VP and general counsel with the Florida Retail Federation. “More specific to the food industry in Florida, our grocers have generally retained a good […]