by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Midwest There is much that is new and unique in Minnesota right now. Let’s start with the Minnesota Grocers Association’s (MGA) new logo. It was refreshed in 2018 after almost 20 years to more accurately reflect the association’s mission. The logo now features a grocery cart as the foundation for the state, reflecting […]
Category: Market Profile
Georgia’s Grocery Market Is ‘Extremely Competitive’
by Treva Bennett/staff writer As Georgia’s economy has improved over the past few years, competition in the grocery industry has grown. Kathy Kuzava, president of the Georgia Food Industry Association (GFIA), said for the fifth year in a row Georgia has been named “No. 1 State for Business” by Site Selection, a leading economic development […]
Lowes’ President Continues To Ask: How Can We Reinvent Ourselves?
Tim Lowe, president of North Carolina-based Lowes Foods, was a featured speaker at the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) Leadership Forum in August in Colorado Springs. Lowe was among the speakers invited to share their strategies and collaboration opportunities. Lowe oversees a locally owned (by Alex Lee Inc.) and operated grocery company comprising nearly 100 full-service […]
Wisconsin Grocer Of The Year Gooseberries Crafting A 70/30 Experience
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Midwest Gooseberries Fresh Food Market opened its doors in 2006. Eight years later, David Spiegelhoff received the Wisconsin Grocers Association (WGA) Excellence in Operations Award. This year he and Gooseberries Fresh Food Market took the top honor as WGA Grocer of the Year. The association’s board of directors makes the selection. WGA President […]
Firelake Discount Foods Is The First Blue Zones Grocer In Oklahoma
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Southwest Firelake Discount Foods in Shawnee, Oklahoma, recently was designated the first-ever Blue Zones Project-approved grocery store in Oklahoma. Richard Driskell, director of retail operations for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, oversees three tribal grocery stores, including the flagship in Shawnee. At 88,000-s.f., it is the largest tribally-owned grocery store in the U.S. The […]
Lipari: Detroit Is Back And Michigan Is On Fire
Thom Lipari is president and CEO of Warren-based Lipari Foods. His father, Jim, started the company in the 1950s by distributing unique products from the back of his Ford station wagon. Thom came on board in 1971. Today, Lipari Foods operates a central distribution center in Warren, the largest suburb of Detroit. From that facility, […]
Albertsons On Broadway Makes Its Debut In Boise
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Midwest, Southwest Albertsons on Broadway opened its doors 79 years to the day that Joe Albertson opened his first cutting-edge, innovative store just a few miles down the road at 16th and State streets. In his obituary in 1993, the amenities in that first store were described as “unheard of in markets of […]
Hometown Food Markets Makes Grocery Shopping A Sensory Experience
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Southwest Hometown Food Markets, owned by Ed and Dana Sowards, operates two Colorado stores. The towns they serve, Pagosa Springs and Antonito, are located on either side of the Continental Divide. Both are tourist towns and sit at about 8,000 feet above sea level. “Both of them are the last stops before you […]
