Shelby Originals | In-Depth Food Industry Stories & Analysis
Posted inMarket Profile, Barons Market, Home Page Latest News, West

Barons Market Sees Results Via Partnerships With Micro-Influencers

Southern California-based Barons Market has grown a community online through social media by showcasing employees, sharing news and drawing customers into its stores. Another one of those opportunities is working with micro-influencers in the same area.  “Unlike typical celebrities, experts or public figures, they’re individuals who work or specialize in a particular vertical and frequently […]

Posted inMarket Profile, Home Page Slider, Northeast

Labor Shortage Continues To Be Biggest Issue Facing Delaware Grocers

The economic outlook in Delaware is a bit brighter this year than last, with the state flush with money – primarily from the federal government, said Julie Miro Wenger, executive director of the Delaware Food Industry Council. The operating budget for the state is expected to be $4.9 billion with $15. 2 million in reserves, […]

Posted inMarket Profile, Home Page Latest News, Independent Store News, Northeast

Delaware Supermarkets Inc. Finds Opportunities In Pandemic Challenges

Like so many other independent grocers, Delaware Supermarkets Inc. – owned and operated by the Kenny family – continues to face challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Wilmington, Delaware-based company owns and operates six ShopRite stores in the state and has been a member of supermarket cooperative Wakefern Food Corp. since 1995. According to […]

Posted inHugo's Family Marketplace, Home Page Latest News, Market Profile, Midwest

Hugo’s Continues To Expand, Serve Across North Dakota

Hugo’s Family Marketplace serves rural communities and metro areas across North Dakota, all while maintaining a local family feel to its stores.   “The No. 1 thing that differentiates us is our team and our long history of being a family-owned company, over 80 years,” said Kristi Magnuson Nelson, president and CEO. “Many of our […]

Posted inFeature, Home Page Latest News, Northeast, Online Grocery Technology

AppCard Remains Focused On Personalization, CPG

By Eric Pereira / content creator As a coupon platform with more than five billion transactions under its belt, AppCard’s focus has been on empowering grocers to communicate with shoppers through personalized offers and awards derived from shopper purchase history and future intent, said Yair Goldfinger, co-founder and CEO. New York-based AppCard is a shopper […]

Posted inMarket Profile, Southeast

Alabama Grocers Association Offers Optimistic Economic Outlook In 2022

The overall economic outlook for Alabama in 2022 looks “very promising,” according to Ellie Taylor, president of the Alabama Grocers Association. Data from the past year appears to support Taylor’s optimism. An Economic Outlook Update for the fourth quarter of 2021, published by the Culverhouse College of Business at the University of Alabama, estimated the […]

Posted inMarket Profile, Home Page Latest News, Southeast

Greer’s Markets Returns To Hometown Roots With New Concept

Mobile, Alabama-based Greer’s Markets is entering its 106th year of business in 2022. The company has stayed in the Greer family, and four members of the fifth generation recently helped design and build a new concept store in downtown Mobile. Greer’s St. Louis Market is named for its location on St. Louis Street. The new […]

Posted inFeature, Albertsons, Home Page Latest News, Southeast

SMARTS Speakers Encourage Grocery Leaders To Care, Share, Motivate

by Eric Pereira / content creator Harold Llyod Presents held its 21st annual Supermarket SMARTS conference in a virtual format the week of Jan. 10. The SMARTS event combined education and entertainment for grocery managers, assistant managers and management trainees to learn through interactive seminars and assignments. The Supermarket SMARTS event featured various guest speakers including, […]

Posted inMarket Profile, Home Page Latest News, Northeast

Edwards Brothers Supermarkets Reports Supply Chain Concerns

As the freezing temperatures tighten their grip on the small towns of Maine, business is moving along for Edwards Brothers Supermarkets. And throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, owner Jeremy Edwards’ stores posted sales increases.  “People weren’t traveling as far to do their shopping. A lot of the smaller mom-and-pop type shops should have seen a boost […]

Posted inGuest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, National

Looking At Inflation And The Past – What Can History Teach Us?

When prices rise slowly, shoppers and the economy can adjust. But when inflation accelerates, as we are seeing in stores across the globe today, what happens then? For many younger store associates, this may be their first time going through a major inflationary period. Certainly, food prices in the U.S. have not seen cost acceleration […]

Posted inGuest Contributors, Home Page Slider, National, Produce News

Grocers Confident In Future Growth Of Produce Aisle, Despite Inflation

by Greg Ferrara / president and CEO, NGA Consumers were making more healthful food choices in greater numbers before the COVID-19 pandemic, which further boosted interest in better nutrition.  As the nation continues to grapple with new variants in a pandemic that’s lingering longer than most expectations, the idea of eating better to buttress one’s […]

Posted inWholesaler/Distributor News, Feature, Home Page Slider, National

IGA Experiences Growth In Sales, Market Share, Store Count

by Eric Pereira / content creator  The past year was a great one for the Independent Grocers Alliance, according to John Ross, president and CEO. For many of its retailers, 2021 was the best in modern history for top-line sales and market share growth. “For a 100-year-old-chain, that’s an amazing thing to say,” Ross said. […]

Posted inFeature, Home Page Slider, Market Profile, Southeast

Savannah Bee Company Reaches 20 Years

The Savannah Bee Company is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year with continued expansion and product development.  “Savannah Bee Company grew out of my passion for bees, beekeeping and honey,” said founder Ted Dennard on their website. “Our specialty honey is the culmination of a 35-year search, both locally and around the world for the […]

Posted inMarket Profile, Beverage News, Feature, Home Page Slider

Callaway Blue Bringing ‘Crisp, Clean Taste’ To Market

When you think of Pine Mountain, Georgia, the Callaway Resort and Gardens or FDR State Park may come to mind.  When exploring the area, nestled in the Pine Mountain Ridge, the water of Blue Springs has been safeguarded by the Callaway family for four generations. It was initially purchased by Cason Calloway Sr., according to […]

Posted inFeature, Home Page Slider, Northeast, Online Grocery Technology

GetUpside Offers Cost-Effective Ways Retailers Can Acquire Customers

by Eric Pereira / content creator GetUpside is a Washington D.C.-based retail technology company that uses personalized cashback promotions to bring shoppers more value and proven profit to brick-and-mortar businesses. Tyler Renaghan, VP of grocery at GetUpside, recently discussed the most cost-effective ways retailers can acquire new customers in this email interview with The Griffin […]

Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Feature, Home Page Slider, Southwest

TimeForge Tackling Labor Challenges

by Eric Pereira / content creator With the ongoing food retail industry labor shortage across the United States, TimeForge is helping grocers, wholesalers and suppliers find new labor through assessment, optimization and accountability. A labor management platform, TimeForge specializes in retail and foodservice full-employee-lifecycle management. It’s also an operations platform that handles HR. “With the […]

Posted inFeature, Home Page Slider, Shelby Originals, West

Shelf Engine Pivots To RaaS Model To Ensure Shoppers’ Success

Seattle, Washington-based Shelf Engine helps grocers increase profits and drastically reduce food waste in thousands of retail locations across the country through automation.  Stefan Kalb, CEO and co-founder of Shelf Engine, recently provided some company updates in an email interview with The Shelby Report.   We see that Shelf Engine is progressing more toward “Results […]