Polep family message continues to be dominant theme for customers, employees and vendors by Mike Berger/editor – Northeast Throughout every conversation with each team member of J. Polep Distribution Services, the word “family” always comes up. Jeff Polep, company chairman, says he wants every staff member, customer and vendor to be part of the J. Polep […]
Category: Shelby Content
Exclusive, in-depth stories from the Shelby team. Explore Food Industry features, market profiles, and unique perspectives from industry leaders.
Posted inThe Independent Perspective, Association News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content
Larkin: Five Priorities For Independent Grocers In The 2018 Farm Bill
by Peter Larkin/ president and CEO, National Grocers Association Special to The Shelby Report Congress has the chance to strengthen the food security safety net, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, for recipients and retailers in the 2018 Farm Bill. Every five years, Congress must pass a comprehensive omnibus bill that’s one of […]
Posted inRecommended Reading, Aldi, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Shelby Content, Store News
Recommended: Kohl’s To Sublet Space To Aldi
Kohl’s said Thursday it would bring discount grocer Aldi into as many as 10 stores later this year in a pilot test, as the retailer aims to scale down its real estate footprint and leverage space for others. CNBC reported in January that Kohl’s would be working with grocers and convenience stores to lease space […]
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 inRecommended Reading, Amazon Fresh, Corporate Store News, Grocery Store Layout, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Shelby Content, Store News, West, Whole Foods
Recommended: Amazon Plans To Open As Many As Six More Go Stores This Year
Amazon’s much-heralded convenience store of the future, Amazon Go, may seem like a crazy experiment. But the company plans to open as many as six more of these storefronts this year, multiple people familiar with the company’s plans have told Recode. Some of the new high-tech stores are likely to open in Amazon’s hometown of […]
Posted inCalifornia Perspective, Association News, Home Page Latest News, Shelby Content, West
California Perspective: Strength Comes In Unity
by Ron Fong/president and CEO, California Grocers Association Have you ever stopped to closely look at a piece of rope? Like one, for example, used to tie a boat, or even a ship, to a dock? It can actually be a little shocking. Because if you did, you would see that the big, bulky, strong […]
Posted inRecommended Reading, Corporate Store News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Shelby Content, Southeast, Store News
Recommended: Winn-Dixie Reportedly Planning To Close Almost 200 Locations
A regional supermarket chain is reportedly planning to close up to 200 shops as its parent company prepares to file for bankruptcy. Bi-Lo LLC, the parent company of Winn-Dixie, is preparing a potential bankruptcy filing as soon as next month, people with knowledge of the situation told Bloomberg. Winn-Dixie will shutter close to 200 locations […]
Posted inShelby Content, Grocery Store Layout, Home Page Latest News, Independent Store News, Industry News, Shelby Signature Content, Southwest, Store News
HAC Seeks To Build Awareness Around Employee-Owned Companies
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Southwest There is something special about employee-owned companies. Marc Jones, president and CEO of HAC Inc., sees it as an attribute that attracts both employees and customers. “An employee-owned business is seen as a big plus in both groups, which is kind of a fun thing,” he told The Shelby Report’s Jan Meade, […]
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 inMarket Profile, Home Page Latest News, Independent Store News, Shelby Signature Content, Southeast, Store News
Alabama Market Profile: State’s Economy Is On The Upswing
by Lorrie Griffith/editor–Southeast Alabama’s economy is on the upswing, according to Ellie Taylor, president of the Alabama Grocers Association AGA), located in Birmingham. In fact, the state’s unemployment rate is now 3.5 percent—the lowest in its history. The good times look to be continuing, as two major plants were announced in January. One is a […]
Posted inThe Independent Perspective, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Perspectives, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content
Larkin: 2017 Year In Review For Independent Grocers
by Peter Larkin/ president and CEO, National Grocers Association Special to The Shelby Report Last year was an exciting one for the supermarket industry, which is perhaps undergoing more rapid change than at any other time. As usual, though, independent grocers proved—once again—that they’re the best equipped to evolve with changing times and serve their communities. […]
Posted inHome Page Latest News, Recommended Reading, Shelby Content, West
Recommended: California’s Proposition 47—Crime And No Consequences
California’s Proposition 47 downgraded a variety of “non-serious, nonviolent crimes” that had previously been considered felonies to misdemeanors. These include shoplifting, grand theft, receiving stolen property, forgery, fraud, and writing bad checks. As long as the total value of the stolen property is under $950, only a ghost of an offense has occurred. A thief […]
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 inRecommended Reading, C-Store News, Corporate Store News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Midwest, Shelby Content, Store News
Recommended: Casey’s Explores Buying Kroger C-Stores Valued At $2B
Casey’s General Stores, under pressure from activist investor JCP Investment Management, has submitted an initial bid for Kroger’s roughly $2 billion convenience-store business, sources familiar with the situation tell CNBC. JCP Investment Management in January called for the Ankeny, Iowa-based convenience store operator to explore strategic alternatives, including a potential sale. Buying Kroger’s convenience-store business […]
Posted inGrocery Store Layout, Amazon Fresh, Home Page Latest News, Independent Store News, Industry News, Market Profile, Shelby Content, Southwest, Store News, Whole Foods
Reasor’s Refocuses To Keep Up With Evolving Needs Of Shoppers
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor—Midwest and Southwest Several factors are driving change at Tahlequah, Oklahoma-based Reasor’s as it celebrates its 55th anniversary this year. Perhaps the most significant will be the ability to sell full-strength beer and wine beginning in October. For decades, Oklahoma grocery stores have only been allowed to offer beer that is 3.2 percent […]
Posted inRecommended Reading, Amazon Fresh, Corporate Store News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Online Grocery Technology, Shelby Content, Store News, Whole Foods
Recommended: To battle Amazon, Kroger Eyes Alibaba Alliance
Kroger may have found a way to counter Amazon. The country’s No. 1 supermarket chain is exploring an alliance with Jack Ma’s Alibaba — the China-based e-commerce giant, The Post has learned. Alibaba is similar to Amazon in that it operates supermarkets that use Amazon Go-like technology that allows cashier-less stores. Senior Kroger executives met […]
Posted inDeli News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Independent Store News, Industry News, ROFDA Reports, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content, Southeast, Store News
Independent Grocer Manning Rethinks How Things Are Done
Danny Manning has come a long way since he started as a bagger at 15 years old at a Food Town store in Eight Mile, Alabama. He moved to stocking, found favor with the company and got a produce rack about a year later. Once he graduated from high school, Manning went on to study […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Produce News, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content, Store News, West
Nevada Market Profile: State Drawing New Residents, New Business
by Lorrie Griffith/editor–West “Go west, young man” is how the saying goes. But today, some young men (and women) and older people, too, are doing the opposite and going east, according to a Dec. 3 article in the Los Angeles Times. They are leaving Southern California to head to Las Vegas to “find the middle-class […]
Posted inCalifornia Perspective, Association News, Home Page Latest News, Shelby Content, West
California Legislature’s Focus May Again Be Diverted From Anti-Business Bills
by Ron Fong/president and CEO, California Grocers Association California’s political outlook appears even more unpredictable than in years past due to an intersection of events that don’t happen very often. From the election of the first new governor in eight years, to a legislature in flux due to a number of recent resignations resulting from […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Grocery Store Layout, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content, Southeast, Store News
Remodel Yields Amazing Returns For Southeast Georgia Independent
In 2016, Reynolds Foodliner converted its store in the southeast Georgia town of Hazlehurst to the Piggly Wiggly Country Fresh banner. As part of the Country Fresh part of the name, the store features expanded fresh departments like meat, produce and deli/bakery. “We have had a tremendous amount of success in that store,” notes Tom […]