by Naomi Sleeper, VP of Continuous Improvement and Strategic Initiatives, Imperial Distributors With the 2010s decade coming to a close(!), it’s time to set some strong resolutions for the next year (or 10). In this spirit, I dedicate this column to changes our industry can make for longer-term impact: on environmental sustainability. While “responsible consumerism”—including environmental and […]
Category: Guest Contributors
Posted inPackaging News, Guest Contributors, National
Guest Column: Five Packaging Design Mistakes And How To Avoid Them
by Katie Lundin/marketing and branding specialist, Crowdspring We all enjoy a good meme poking fun at embarrassing mistakes online. But, it’s far less funny when your product or package is the butt of those jokes. Poor packaging leads to worse things than a bruised ego—it leads to lost sales and revenue. And, it’s no mystery why. People’s […]
Posted inInternational Foods, Amazon Fresh, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, National, Whole Foods
Soto: Know Your Multicultural Customers So You Can Grow Sales
by Terry Soto/multicultural marketing expert The California Grocers Association’s “Minding the Gap” Strategic Conference took place recently in Palms Springs, California, where retailers brought up specific challenges they currently are attempting to manage when it comes to growing sales among multicultural grocery shoppers. Understanding how to assort authentically for diverse Hispanic and Asian shoppers came […]
Posted inBeverage News, Bakery News, Dairy News, Guest Contributors, Marketing News, National, Packaging News, Shelby Originals, Sustainability News
Sorensen: Innovation In Thought Was Lacking This Year
by Cindy Sorensen/founder and CEO, The Grocery Group Each year as I prepare to write my dairy industry “year in review” column, I reflect on the newsworthy events that occurred in the industry in the previous 12 months. This reflection often includes a look back on the following: new product introductions; ingredient, product and package […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Bakery News, Deli News, Health & Wellness, Home Page Slider, Meat/Seafood/Poultry, National, Online Grocery Technology, Perishables, Produce News, Suppliers, Supply Chain News
Column: Consumer Demand For Fresh Products Expands Role Of HPP
by Brad Key, Universal Pure Consumers’ shopping and eating behavior is changing, with many spending more time shopping the perimeter of the store for fresh products. In line with this trend, the perimeter—which includes fresh meat, deli, produce, bakery, seafood and prepared foods—is reported to comprise up to 40 percent of a store’s footprint in […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Amazon Fresh, National, Shelby Content, Whole Foods
HR & Benefits News: HR Helps Maintain ‘Most Trusted Retailer’ Status
HR & Benefits News is a monthly column by Chris Cooley, co-founder of MyHRConcierge and SMB Benefits Advisors. In today’s big-box and web-to-door mentality, grocers are considered the most trusted retailers according to the 2018 CX Retail Trends Report. “Almost 37 percent of consumers rank grocers as the most trusted retailers,” notes this Inmoment survey […]
Posted inDairy News, Beverage News, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, Industry News, Marketing News, Midwest, Organic Natural, Packaging News, Shelby Signature Content, Suppliers
Milk: Organic Or Conventional?
by Cindy Sorensen/founder and CEO, The Grocery Group When I find myself in a conversation with a consumer about his or her preference for organic milk vs. conventionally produced milk, I like to inquire about the reason behind their preference. They usually tell me they prefer organic milk because they think it tastes better, is […]
Posted inShelby Content, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, National
Updated H&R Benefit News: Fed Proposes New Test To Clarify Definition Of Joint Employer
HR & Benefits News is a monthly column by Chris Cooley, co-founder of MyHRConcierge and SMB Benefits Advisors. If you’re involved in a franchise arrangement or use a staffing firm to hire seasonal or temporary workers, you’ll be interested in the proposal issued by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on April 1, to more clearly define joint […]
Posted inShelby Content, Corporate Store News, Grocery Store Layout, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, Independent Store News, Industry News, Marketing News, Merchandising News, National, Store News
Will Expanding Grocers Learn From The Decline Of Department Stores?
by Andrew McQuilkin, BHDP Architecture Each year seems to bring with it a new headline on how one of our most frequent shopping experiences—buying groceries—will be forever changed. Curbside pickup. Driverless cars delivering to our homes. Automatic checkouts. The technological rush shows a willingness by the largest chains to ensure they outmaneuver online upstarts and […]
Posted inPackaging News, Guest Contributors, Industry News, National, Shelby Content
How To Create Food Packaging That Can Build Brand Loyalty
by Phil Bagdasarian Co-founder, Packwire Customer loyalty is essential to boosting a business’ bottom line. In fact, an average of 80 percent of future revenue is generated by a 20 percent returning customer base. Attracting new customers is important but keeping them is far more valuable. As such, it is crucial that companies invest in […]
Posted inShelby Content, Guest Contributors
Cross-Merchandising Helps Consumers And Retailers
by Cindy Sorensen Founder and CEO, The Grocery Group As we finally turn the corner from winter into spring here in the Midwest, our thoughts begin to turn toward outdoor grilling and dinners on the deck. Dining outdoors might still be a few months away, but it’s not too early for retailers to begin […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Home Page Slider, Industry News, National
Consider ‘Sustainability’ In Construction And Equipment
by Steve Mehmert/managing partner, T4 Solutions Sustainable: “of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.”—Merriam-Webster online dictionary Every day we read more and more about supermarkets that are embracing sustainability in their daily operations. We hear the terms reduce, reuse […]
Posted inShelby Content, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, Industry News, National, Shelby Signature Content
HR & Benefit News: 3 Key Federal Labor Laws For 2019 Highlighted
HR & Benefits News is a monthly column by Chris Cooley, co-founder of MyHRConcierge and SMB Benefits Advisors. Grocers across the nation have many state and federal laws to keep up with throughout the year, and in 2019, they will need to ensure they stay diligent in their compliance with current laws and aware of those that are […]
Posted inShelby Content, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, Industry News, National, Shelby Signature Content, Store News
A Look At Some Best Practices For Retailer Labor Productivity
It is critically important for retailers to monitor the productivity of their associates. Labor productivity measures the output of store associates over a specific period of time. Tracking measures such as sales per labor hour or scans per minute will ensure that a retailer is getting the most of his/her labor dollars. Low productivity rates […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Amazon Fresh, Equipment & Technology, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, Industry News, National, Shelby Content, Whole Foods
Grocers Need to Plumb Their Data To Better Understand Shoppers
by Sy Fahimi/SVP-Product Strategy, Symphony RetailAI Grocery retail is going through a significant reinvention as we continue to move into the era of the consumer. Retailers can succeed in 2019 by keeping data at the core of every practice in order to better understand their shoppers. Historically, retailers have large amounts of data, such as […]
Posted inAssociation News, Guest Contributors, Northeast
N.J. Food Council President Reviews 2018 At Outset Of 2019
Linda Doherty, president of the New Jersey Food Council, looked at what happened in the past year in preparation for this new year. Not much in Trenton surprises me, but occasionally the unexpected arises that has an impact on our membership. Case in point were two significant issues we faced heading into the year. When […]
Posted inIndustry News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, National
Keep Waste Removal Process Going During Severe Weather
by Michael Hess/Founder, President and CEO, Waste Harmonics Winter weather hits and before you know it, garbage piles up resulting in dangerous and unsightly conditions. Within hours, garbage and recycling headaches can deter you from your day. As a reliable source of food and merchandise, you need to be ready to serve the needs of […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Equipment & Technology, Guest Contributors, Industry News, National, Store News
Cash Is Here To Stay—How To Deal With Rising Handling Costs
by David Johnson/Director of Business Development, G4S Retail Solutions Retail and finance experts are fond of proclaiming that cash usage in retail and restaurants is “dying” or even “dead,” and many point to the growth of credit and debit cards, the emergence of mobile payments and an increase in conversations around restaurants, grocers and other […]
Posted inDairy News, Executive News, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, Midwest, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content
An Interview With Topco’s Liebich About Leadership
The Shelby Report and The Grocery Group this month introduce a new column series called “Emerging Leaders” that focuses on current and future leadership in the grocery industry. In this first installment, The Grocery Group Founder and CEO Cindy Sorensen interviews Jamie Liebich, dairy category director for Topco. Sorensen’s questions are in bold. Jamie, congratulations […]
Posted inShelby Content, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, Industry News, National, Shelby Signature Content
HR & Benefits News: 2019 HR Compliance Checklist
HR & Benefits News is a monthly column by Chris Cooley, co-founder of MyHRConcierge and SMB Benefits Advisors. As we begin a new year in 2019 and approach the end of a decade, the grocery industry and the workplace in general is changing and growing at an unprecedented rate. By the year 2020, there will be five generations […]