Consumer anxieties, vibrant merchandising and the fast rising influence of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean fare topped the talking points during a June 12 International Dairy Deli Bakery Association-sponsored webinar, “Digesting All the Trends at IDDBA 2025.” Maeve Webster, president of the Bennington, Vermont-based consultancy Menu Matters, and Mike Kostyo, VP, sifted through what they saw on the show floor to […]
Category: Shelby Content
Exclusive, in-depth stories from the Shelby team. Explore Food Industry features, market profiles, and unique perspectives from industry leaders.
Posted inAssociation News, Guest Contributors, National, News
SNAP Incentives, Fresh Innovation And The Role Of Independent Grocers
In June, the independent grocery industry came together in force for the 2025 NGA Fresh Summit in Milwaukee, where fresh food innovation met community commitment. From fresh-forward merchandising strategies to discussions about food safety, traceability and technology, the summit underscored what independent grocers already know – fresh food is not only a driver of growth […]
Posted inAssociation News, Market Profile, News, Northeast
Orange May Not Have Lock On Future Shelf Tag Color In Massachusetts
In late May, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced she was eliminating outdated regulations to save businesses and business owners time and money. The change that affects grocers in the commonwealth was the overhaul of unit price disclosure requirements that had not been adjusted since the 1990s. Brian Houghton, SVP of government affairs and communications at […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, Midwest, News
Mackinaw Family Market Thrives As Community Hub In Bustling Tourist Town
At the northern tip of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, the independent Mackinaw Family Market stands as a cornerstone of Mackinaw City – both during the bustling summer tourism season and the quiet winter months. The village of 847 residents is a resort community located on the shores of the Straits of Mackinac. For Mackinaw Family Market […]
Posted inFeature, News, West
Longtime Leader McCloud Bids Farewell To USC FIM
Cynthia McCloud, director of Food Industry Programs and adjunct faculty at the University of Southern California (USC) Marshall School of Business, is retiring. McCloud, a student in the Food Industry Management (FIM) program in 1990, has served as director since 2014, following a 40-year career in the food industry. In a farewell speech during the […]
Posted inMarket Profile, News, West
Favorable Job Market Intensifying Employer Competition For Talent In WA
Anneliese Vance-Sherman, chief labor economist with the Washington Employment Security Department, recently spoke with The Shelby Report about the workforce challenges retailers are facing in the state. How would you summarize the retail workforce situation in Washington state? The overall job market, while showing a slight slowdown after recovering from COVID-19 pandemic job losses, […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Market Profile, News, West
ASMI Helps Build Trust, Loyalty In Alaska’s Sustainably Caught Seafood
The Shelby Report recently caught up with Amy Dukes, head of retail marketing for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, to discuss Alaska’s seafood and how grocers can build sales in the category. What key trends should grocers be aware of with Alaska seafood? According to Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute’s Retail Consumer Research Report, 80 […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, Northeast
Cape Cod’s Ring Bros. Marketplace Staying Fresh In Offerings, Branding
Ring Bros. Marketplace got its start 100 years ago, when teenager Stephen Ring Sr. and his older brother, Edmund, sold produce from a horse-drawn wagon on the streets of Boston. Later, Stephen Sr. would take his sons, Ed and Stephen Jr., along to help. The sons eventually made the business their life’s work, like their […]
Posted inMarket Profile, News, Southwest
Grocers Large, Small Serving Shoppers In ‘Strong And Growing’ South Texas
While H-E-B and Walmart garner a large portion of grocery dollars in the South Texas market, independent grocers play a vital role as well, especially in the large number of smaller towns that dot the landscape. For chains and independents alike, South Texas has a number of upsides. Grocery stores provide good, steady jobs in […]
Posted inMarket Profile, News, Southeast
Specialty Retailers Find Opportunity With North Florida’s Growing Asian Population
Driven by strong retail investments, North Florida’s grocery market is experiencing considerable change. In a reflection of the region’s robust economy and appeal to business, areas such as Jacksonville and the state capital of Tallahassee in the Panhandle are outperforming many parts of the country. A cost of living just below the national average and […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, West
Collaboration With Residents Results In New Store For Remote Kotzebue, AK
In November, the Alaska Commercial Co. (AC) unveiled a new 26,000-square-foot grocery and general merchandise store in Kotzebue, Alaska, which lies about 26 miles north of the Arctic Circle in the northwestern corner of the state. The store plays a vital role in providing essential food and supplies to the residents of the town and […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, News, West
Grocers Bracing For Impact Of Largest Tax Hike In WA’s History
Washington is considered one of the most expensive states in the nation when it comes to the cost of gas, housing and healthcare. It has the fourth highest average grocery prices in the country, and 55 percent of residents face food insecurity. And officials from the Washington Food Industry Association note that grocers and consumers […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Leadership, National, News, The Grocer's Playbook
Leadership: Please, Please Don’t Ignore Me
Below are two monumental pieces of information for those of us in the grocery business to consider in 2025 and beyond: In 2023, the grocery store industry in the United States spent $2.04 billion on advertising, up from $1.94 million a year earlier. That represents an annual increase of about 5 percent. Grocery shopping in […]
Posted inSustainability News, Guest Contributors, Hidden Profit, National, News, The Grocer's Playbook
Reduce Turnover By Engaging Employees; Cut Costs With Better Resource Management
As shoppers, we know the feeling of a positive shopping experience when helped by an engaged associate. According to Gallup (2023), companies with highly engaged employees provide an enhanced customer experience, increased customer retention, improved shopper satisfaction, stronger word-of-mouth and reduced churn, resulting in 23 percent higher profits. Conversely, disengaged associates cost employers $8.8 trillion […]
Posted inAssociation News, Guest Contributors, National, News
Independent Grocers Make Their Voices Heard In Washington At NGA’s Fly-In
Every spring, the National Grocers Association’s Fly-In for Fair Competition reminds me of something simple yet powerful – when independent grocers come together and speak with one voice, we can move mountains. The 2025 Fly-In was no exception. More than 125 independent operators, wholesalers and state association partners from 38 states converged on Capitol Hill […]
Posted inMarket Profile, News, Southeast
North Florida Grocers Facing ‘Persistent’ Challenges With Labor, Inflation, ORC
The Shelby Report of the Southeast recently visited with Lorena Holley, VP and general counsel for the Florida Retail Federation, to glean some insights on the state of the grocery industry in northern Florida. How robust is the supermarket industry in North Florida? The grocery marketplace in North Florida is diverse, vibrant and buoyant. […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Feature, Harris Teeter, News, Southeast
Harris Teeter Reopens Hurricane-Damaged Store In Hendersonville, NC
In what wasn’t merely another retail remodel, the Harris Teeter store at 636 Spartanburg Highway in Hendersonville, North Carolina, officially reopened June 10 following an eight-month closure due to damage from Hurricane Helene. For the grocer’s team and the community, the occasion marked a far more profound milestone. In late September, Helene made landfall in […]
Posted inDairy News, Feature, Northeast, West
French Yogurt Brand La Fermière Fortifies U.S. Operations
Since entering the U.S. market eight years ago, French yogurt company La Fermière has maintained a 35-40 percent year-over-year growth rate. In 2024, the brand sold about 16 million ceramic pots of yogurt and oven-baked crème desserts. The company has a manufacturing plant in New York, as well as a newly opened West Coast facility […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, Midwest, News
Babbs Supermarket Has Deep, Personal Connection To Indiana Community
Babbs Supermarket in Spencer, Indiana, will celebrate its 97th anniversary in July. Third-generation grocer Robert Babbs says his family legacy is not about making money but about building community. Chester Babbs, Rob’s grandfather, opened the original store July 28, 1928, by purchasing a meat and grocery business in receivership. Over the years, the business grew […]
Posted inAssociation News, Market Profile, Midwest, News
Indiana Economy: Stability, Setbacks And Grocery Industry’s Fight To Adapt
Indiana’s economy remained largely stable through 2024, buoyed by strong capital investments and modest GDP growth. But a forecast released in April cast a shadow over the state’s two-year financial outlook, setting the stage for challenges in the grocery and convenience store industries. According to the Indiana Business Research Center, the state’s GDP showed modest […]