Tony Orlando, owner of Tony O’s Supermarket & Catering in North Kingsville, Ohio, turned damage from a fire into an opportunity for renewal, all while navigating the challenges facing independent grocers. In 2023, a blaze at a neighboring business forced Tony O’s to close for three and a half months due to smoke damage. “It […]
Category: Market Profile
Posted inAssociation News, Market Profile, Midwest, News
Grocery Industry – Particularly Independents – Struggling In Ohio
Ohio’s economy in 2024 presented a mixed bag of progress and challenges, setting the stage for a potentially evolving grocery landscape in 2025. The state’s grocery economy experienced a downward trend in 2024, as “SNAP benefits decreased, prices for all things (not just groceries) went up, labor challenges continued and more food deserts were created […]
Posted inMarket Profile, News, Northeast
New Hampshire’s Co-Op Food Stores Powered By Partnerships
Dawn Archambeault, director of marketing and consumer relations for Co-Op Food Stores in New Hampshire, discusses the company’s approach to operating two co-ops in proximity to one another yet in distinctly different neighborhoods of the Upper Valley region. What are some of the biggest differences between your two co-ops? While each store has its own […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, Southeast
B&T’s Food Fresh Market Exemplifies Independent Spirit
John Triplett is co-owner of B&T’s Food Fresh Market – a growing independent grocery company with 11 locations in Georgia and South Carolina and more planned – with Clark Brunson. The two are self-described “conservative entrepreneurs” and own other businesses in addition to raising young families. Triplett also is a vocal proponent for tort reform […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Guest Contributors, News, Northeast
Tourism, Local Products Generate Gains For New Hampshire’s Grocery Industry
by Russell Greenlaw, EVP of sales, marketing and technology for Associated Grocers of New England New Hampshire’s grocery landscape is shaped by a unique mix of factors, including its diverse geographic regions, fluctuating consumer preferences and the state’s evolving labor market. While many of the state’s economic challenges mirror those seen nationwide, they are often […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, West
At Family-Run Goodwin & Sons In California, Stores ‘Positioned To Serve’ Their Communities
Michael Johnstone, VP of Goodwin & Sons Inc., is a fourth-generation grocer and great-grandson of the company’s founder. He responded to questions from The Shelby Report’s Lorrie Griffith about the grocer’s four stores, three of which are located in Southern California. To start off, tell me about you – your title and history with […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Market Profile, News, Southwest, The Kroger Co.
Across Competitive DFW Metroplex, Kroger Focused On Customer Experience
In a recent interview with The Shelby Report of the Southwest, Rudy DiPietro, incoming president of Kroger’s Dallas Division, shared his insights on the shifting market dynamics and competitive landscape in North Texas. How does Kroger differentiate itself from its competitors in North Texas? There are many factors shoppers look for, including location, pricing, […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Independent Store News, Market Profile, News, West
Wildfire-Impacted Areas In SoCal On Long Road To Recovery, But Resilience Evident
According to the CA.gov website, cleanup after the January wildfires in Southern California currently is in phase 2. Phase 1, which involved the removal of household hazardous waste, was completed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency less than a month after the fires were contained Jan. 31. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers took over […]
Posted inAssociation News, Market Profile, News, Southwest
North Texas Retailers Keeping Pace With Population Influx
The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex’s economic and demographic boom has cultivated a $20 billion grocery industry, prompting grocers to innovate and drawing new retailers to the area. However, it’s not merely growth; DFW is experiencing significant diversification. The influx of people from other states and countries brings a multitude of new tastes and expectations, creating an […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, Southeast
Family-Owned Milam’s Markets Reflects Metro Miami’s Culture
Milam’s Markets’ foundation was laid in 1984 in a Piggly Wiggly store at the corner of Red and Bird roads in Miami. The store is still in operation, and five more have opened over the 40-plus years since then. Kristie Milam Guzman, chief marketing officer and director of real estate for Milam’s Markets, is a […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Southeast
South Florida Region Is Fastest Growing Market In State
The 2025 Florida State Economic Outlook from Comerica indicates the state’s economic expansion, which boomed in the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, will slow down this year but still outpace the national economy. The report said that “employment growth, a key pillar of Florida’s success in recent years, is set to moderate in 2025, […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, Midwest, News
Hometown Market Committed To Community, Family Connection
Independent grocery stores play a vital role in rural communities, but inflation, competition from big-box retailers and other challenges are putting increasing pressure on their operations. Blake Schwartz, owner of Hometown Market in St. Paul, Nebraska, said labor issues specifically are greatly impacting independents in his state. With Nebraska’s minimum wage set to rise to […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Association News, Market Profile, Midwest
Nebraska Grocery Industry Faces Challenges, Opportunities Amid Economic Shifts
Nebraska’s grocery industry is at a crossroads as economic conditions shift and legislative policies evolve. Ansley Fellers, executive director of the Nebraska Grocery Industry Association, highlighted for The Shelby Report key concerns facing independent grocers, including competition from dollar stores, rising labor costs and wholesale pricing challenges. Nebraska’s economy is experiencing modest growth, influenced by […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, Midwest, News
Amid Mounting Issues, Nebraska Legislation Seeks To Support Rural Independent Grocers
Nebraska’s rural grocery stores are facing increasing financial and logistical hurdles, but new legislative efforts seek to provide targeted support to sustain these essential businesses. Carlie Jonas, policy associate at the Center for Rural Affairs in Lyons, Nebraska, has been involved in addressing these challenges. “We worked with one of the senators, Teresa Ibach, at […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, Northeast
Delaware’s Harvest Market Thriving As 30th Anniversary Approaches
A college assignment helped steer Bob Kleszics into a career in the grocery business. Founder and CEO of Harvest Market in Hockessin, Delaware, Kleszics was an anthropology major at the University of Delaware in 1979 when he took a field methods class. For the course, the student goes outside the classroom and into a group’s […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Northeast
‘Modest’ Describes Current, Future Growth In Delaware
The Delaware economy has been on a gradual growth trajectory over the past five years. According to researcher IbisWorld, the population has grown 1.3 percent leading up to 2025, reaching just under 1.06 million. Its gross state product reached $76.3 billion by the beginning of the year, reflecting 1.0 percent growth over five years, and […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Independent Store News, Southwest
Destination Grocery Store To Open At New Address In Marathon, TX
Some grocers are born into the business and some choose it. Some just seem to have it in their blood and are able to create not just stores, but destinations. Sam Stavinoha has created such a place in the tiny West Texas town of Marathon, a stop on the way south to Big Bend National […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Southwest
West Texas Economy Growing But Still Relies On Oil/Gas Fortunes
Gary Huddleston has a rich history in the grocery business, serving nearly 45 years as director of consumer affairs at Kroger and today continuing his service as a grocery industry consultant for the Texas Retailers Association. TRA represents retail companies across Texas, including national, regional, state and main street grocery, mass, home improvement, pharmacy and […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Independent Store News, Midwest
Jim’s SuperValu Thrives In Rural ND With Community-focused Innovation
For nearly 40 years, Jim’s SuperValu in Park River, North Dakota, has been a cornerstone of its rural community. Co-owner Diana Hahn, who has spent decades working in the store her parents purchased in 1986, understands the unique challenges and opportunities that come with running an independent grocery store in a small town. “My dad […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Midwest
North Dakota’s Grocers Adapting Amid Economic Shifts
North Dakota’s grocery industry is navigating changes, shaped by population growth, economic shifts and evolving consumer habits, according to John “Jiggs” Dyste, president of the North Dakota Grocers Association. “We only have some 700,000 people in the whole state,” Dyste said. “I think as far as growth, we’re probably in the top five for people […]