Posted inPackaging News, Bonus Content, Grocery Industry, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Midwest, Produce News

Bring The Farmers Market To Life In The Produce Department

by Claire Lentsch/a contributor to The Shelby Report Produce thrives when it is fresh, affordable, exciting and expresses vintage appeal. It is healthy, fast and filling, making it the ideal snack. Nobody has to question, “Is this good for me?” Consumers assume most items in the produce category will improve their health, and these natural […]

Posted inFood Service News, Bonus Content, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, National

Discover Gold In ‘Customer Zones’: A Proven Strategy To Increase Foodservice Sales

by Howland Blackiston/principal, King-Casey My July article in The Shelby Report pointed out that grocery stores and supermarkets could learn a lot from QSRs and fast-casual restaurant competitors as they entered the “brave, new world of branded, proprietary food offerings.” Specifically, they needed to (1) develop a menu strategy; (2) commit to continuous innovation; and […]

Posted inBonus Content, Grocery Industry, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, National

HR & Benefits News: Workplace Bullying And The Potential Costs

HR & Benefits News is a monthly column by Chris Cooley, co-founder of MyHRConcierge and SMB Benefits Advisors. Most of us experienced or witnessed bullying on the playground as kids, but many small and medium business owners are unaware of how prevalent bullying currently is in the workplace, and how corrosive it can be to the work […]

Posted inMarketing News, Bonus Content, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, National, Produce News

Karen Caplan: The New Holiday Table

by Karen Caplan/President and CEO, Frieda’s Specialty Produce If you’re a retailer, you’ve probably already set your ads for the upcoming holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. And chances are you’ve chosen pretty much the same selection of produce items to feature as you did last year: orange sweet potatoes, green beans, Russet potatoes and cranberries. I’m […]

Posted inDairy News, Bonus Content, Grocery Industry, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Merchandising News, National, Shelby Signature Content

Dairy And Produce: Grow Sales By Providing Solutions

by Cindy Sorensen/ Founder and CEO, The Grocery Group Today’s produce departments provide a great example of how grocers have reinvented departments within their stores to be relevant to consumers’ ever-growing and changing desires and demands. Several years ago, when local farmers markets began to pop up in library, shopping center and school parking lots around their […]

Posted inBonus Content, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, National, The Independent Perspective

Larkin: Independent Grocers Are Vitally Important To Political Process

by Peter Larkin/ president and CEO, National Grocers Association Special to The Shelby Report The 2018 midterm elections are quickly approaching, as observed by all the political ads that currently pepper our airwaves, and much is on the line for both political parties. A look at historical data on congressional elections suggests that Democrats will have an […]

Posted inDairy News, Bonus Content, Grocery Industry, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, International Foods, Marketing News, Merchandising News, National

Sorensen: Connecting With Hispanic Shoppers

by Cindy Sorensen/Founder and CEO of The Grocery Group The Hispanic population represents the fastest-growing ethnic group in the U.S. In fact, by 2020, Hispanics will be the largest ethnic group. They currently represent 17 percent of the population and will grow to be 29 percent by 2050. This growth will occur in all regions […]

Posted inGuest Contributors, Bonus Content, Home Page Latest News, National

Providing Timely Service Is Essential To Developing Customer Loyalty

by John Larson/senior partner at John Larson & Co. and co-author of Capturing Loyalty Last week, I went to my local Trader Joe’s and bought an inexpensive bottle of Chilean wine. When I went to pay for the wine, the register operator complemented me on my selection. “Several of my customers have purchased this wine […]