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, […]
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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, National, News
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 […]