Editor’s note: HR & Benefits News is a monthly column by Chris Cooley, co-founder of MyHRConcierge and SMB Benefits Advisors. Believing rumors about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) can be costly for grocers. For example, many companies mistakenly believed that ACA wouldn’t be enforced, but the IRS has recently started sending out penalty letters for […]
Category: Guest Contributors
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Amazon Fresh, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Shelby Content, Whole Foods
A (Biased) Grocer’s Guide To Choosing A Digital Commerce Partner, Or Why I Became CEO Of Self Point
by Michael J. Haaf Last fall, I was asked to join the board of a promising startup. Although I had never heard of the company, I was immediately impressed by the tech firm’s focus on helping grocery chains fight back against Amazon-Whole Foods, Walmart and other retailers entering the traditional grocery space with a wide […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Midwest, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content
Meet Gen Z: Snacking Is Convenient, Efficient And Preferred By Younger Consumers
by Claire Lentsch/a contributor to The Shelby Report Editor’s note: Shelby Midwest Editor Terrie Ellerbee met Claire Lentsch at the 2017 Supervalu National Expo in St. Paul, Minnesota. Lentsch was invited to share her perspective as a member of Generation Z (born since the mid-1990s) and a consumer. Snacking is replacing family meals. A lack […]
Posted inIndustry News, Albertsons, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, National, Shelby Content
What If?—Five Tips For Limiting Negligent Security Liability
by Justin R. Parafinczuk, Esq./ civil trial attorney and shareholder, Koch Parafinczuk Wolf Susen, P.A. Slip and falls, poorly stocked shelves and parking lot obstacles each present personal injury hazards for supermarket customers and potential liabilities for supermarket retailers. Enter the age of violence in the public space, where shop owners—and their customers—face an entirely new […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Marketing News, National, Shelby Content
There Is Money To Be Made By Digitally Marketing Meat
Editor’s note: The following is the first of a three-part series. Part 2 of Amstein’s insights into digital marketing in the meat industry will be available here beginning April 17. Part 3 will be available on May 15. by Danette Amstein/Principal, Midan Marketing We all lead very busy lives and with each passing year the pace seems […]
Posted inShelby Content, Grocery Store Layout, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Shelby Signature Content
Art’s Angle: Keeping The Business Simple Bodes Well For Growth
by Art Patch/a retired retail executive & regular columnist for The Shelby Report I had the opportunity recently to chat with one of the owners of a small but very successful independent food retailer in Northern California. He is co-owner of an eight-store chain with stores ranging in size from 20,000 to 50,000 s.f. He […]
Posted inIndustry News, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Health & Wellness, Home Page Latest News, National, Shelby Content
HR & Benefits News: Stop Rolling The Dice With Employee Health Benefits
2018 NGA Financial Symposium Workshop Editor’s note: HR & Benefits News is a monthly column by Chris Cooley, co-founder of MyHRConcierge and SMB Benefits Advisors. Independents face so many conflicting choices about employee health benefits. It’s crucial to control escalating benefits expense, but if you reduce benefits or cut hours, you risk losing workers, customers […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Midwest, Shelby Content
Meet Gen Z: Technology Is Convenient, Comforting
by Claire Lentsch/ a contributor to The Shelby Report Editor’s note: Shelby Midwest Editor Terrie Ellerbee met Claire Lentsch at the Supervalu National Expo in 2017. Here, Lentsch shares her perspective as a member of Generation Z (born since the mid-1990s) and a consumer. Technology creates convenience. By introducing technology into the food industry, food becomes […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Dairy News, Deli News, Equipment & Technology, Frozen Food, Grocery News, Grocery Store Equipment, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Meat/Seafood/Poultry, National, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content
Guest Column: An Easier Way To Tackle Power Outages
by John Lerch/ director of sales, Axiom Energy No matter how reliable and resilient our electrical grid is, the power will go out from time to time. While immediately our minds are brought to the severe outages caused by natural disasters, even outages lasting a few hours long can result in significant losses for some […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Equipment & Technology, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Shelby Content
Top Six Trends For Independent Grocers In 2018
by Adam Abbene/ Sales Manager, BRdata Software Solutions In today’s hyper-competitive grocery market, independent grocers need to utilize every tool and technology available to optimize every aspect of their operation. In the months ahead, that means independent grocers will rely more than ever on cloud-based systems to enhance and complement their capabilities in customer service, inventory […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, National, Shelby Content, Sustainability News
2018 Will See High Meat Consumption, But The American Diet Is Shifting
by Rich Waite/ Associate, World Resources Institute While 2017 was a banner year for plant-based eating—with plant-based burgers and other alternative proteins coming to market—2018 began with headlines proclaiming a new year filled with meat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture sparked these stories by predicting that Americans will eat a record amount of beef, pork and poultry this year. The meaty headlines—complete with pictures […]
Posted inIndustry News, Equipment & Technology, Grocery Store Equipment, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, National, Shelby Content
The Right Coin Management Strategy For Grocers: Turn Hidden Costs Into Profits
by Jim Weaks/ VP, Cummins Allison The grocery industry is constantly changing. Grocers must adapt to changes in consumer behaviors and expectations, online competitors luring away once-loyal shoppers and economic uncertainty that threatens already razor-thin margins. With that in mind, the pressure is on to control costs and find new ways of increasing profitability. Fortunately, […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Shelby Content
HR & Benefits News: Current Employee Handbook: A Must for Grocers
Editor’s note: HR & Benefits News is a monthly column by Chris Cooley, co-founder of MyHRConcierge and SMB Benefits Advisors. Myth: Independent grocers really don’t need employee handbooks…no one reads them anyway. Reality: An employee handbook can help protect grocers who face lawsuits or discrimination charges if it’s up-to-date and well-written. Grocers of all sizes need […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Amazon Fresh, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Whole Foods
Will Someone Win The Price Vs. Service Battle, Or Is There Room For Both?
by Art Patch/a retired retail executive & regular columnist for The Shelby Report For years, the successful retail business model featured a strong commitment to customer service. Customer service does cover a broad area but was often listed in surveys as the primary reason a customer chose a store. It was not uncommon for employees […]
Posted inShelby Content, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, International Foods, Specialty, West
Multicultural Marketplace Column: Challenging Times Call For Bold Action
by Terry Soto/strategy consultant and author of “Marketing to Hispanics: A Strategic Approach to Assessing and Planning Your Initiative” When thinking about the topic for this article, I couldn’t help thinking about what is most salient in the Hispanic community right now. I would have to say without a doubt that it’s the current negative […]
Posted in, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Shelby Content
HR & Benefits News: The Real Cost Of Worker Turnover For Grocers
Editor’s note: HR & Benefits News is a new monthly column by Chris Cooley, co-founder of MyHRConcierge and SMB Benefits Advisors. Price tag of turnover is shocking Employee turnover is a significant issue for independent grocers, especially for part-time workers. And the real cost of turnover is hidden—it’s not a tracked profit-and-loss statement line item. […]
Posted inNonfood Items, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, National, Shelby Content
Getting SMART About Back-To-School
by Naomi Sleeper/director of business development, Imperial Distributors As the summer season comes to a close, families are starting to do their back-to-school (BTS) shopping. According to a National Retail Federation (NRF) study, BTS and college spending is the second highest shopping season for retailers, after the winter holidays. Total BTS spending accounts for more than […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Amazon Fresh, Home Page Latest News, National, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content, Whole Foods
Harry Blazer: Reflections On The Proposed Whole Foods Purchase By Amazon
Harry Blazer founded Harry’s Farmers Market in the Atlanta area in 1987, opening in Alpharetta. Two others later opened in metro counties Cobb and Gwinnett. Whole Food Market purchased the three Harry’s megastores in October 2001 as well as a distribution center, commissary kitchen, bakehouse and office facilities. Today, Blazer is a consultant ([email protected]). Here […]
Posted in, Guest Contributors, Health & Wellness, Home Page Latest News, National, Nonfood Items, Shelby Content, Wholesaler/Distributor News
Non-Food For Thought: Are You Ready To Spring Into Warm-Weather Sales?
by Naomi Sleeper/director of business development, Imperial Distributors In honor of Father’s Day coming up in June, our May non-foods thoughts focus on products for male consumers. With grilling tools and gadgets—as well as camping gear and summer beer accessories—on display in stores now, supermarkets offer a variety of giftable seasonal general merchandise suitable for men […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Shelby Content
What To Look For When Offering Multiple Group Health Plans
by Chris Cooley/MyHRConcierge Special to The Shelby Report A question business owners often have is whether they can exclude certain categories of employees from group health benefits or if they can offer different types of health benefits to different categories of employees. As you can imagine, this can be a tricky question. There are several federal […]