Changes in transportation, pharmacy among possibilities by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer When CEO Neal Berube envisions Associated Food Stores’ future, he sees focus on innovation as the key to remaining successful. Part of that innovation relates to e-commerce – something that has had continued emphasis during 2020. “During the [COVID-19] pandemic, we’ve seen change in […]
Category: Shelby Originals
Posted inHealth & Wellness, Home Page Slider, Shelby Originals, West
AFS: Enriching Lives, One Retailer, Family, Meal At A Time
Mission statement shapes corporate responsibility by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer As a longtime wholesaler, Salt Lake City, Utah-based Associated Food Stores holds a sense of corporate responsibility. CEO Neal Berube believes this responsibility shines through in the company’s mission statement – enriching lives, one retailer, one family, one meal at a time. “Enriching lives – […]
Posted inShelby Originals, Association News, Home Page Slider, West
Jan Gee Looking Forward To Upcoming Retirement; Successor Ready For New Role
Jan Gee, the Washington Food Industry Association’s long-serving executive and lobbyist, said she is looking forward to her retirement, especially being able to spend more time with her family. Gee has served as president and CEO of the WFIA since 2006. Her successor, Tammie Hetrick, has been working with Gee during a transition phase and […]
Posted inCOVID News, Home Page Slider, Northeast, Shelby Originals
Market Profile: Hybrid Business Model Helped Steady Santoni’s Marketplace And Catering
When events collapsed during quarantine, grocery side took off by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer Lou Santoni and his brother, Rick, own Santoni’s Marketplace and Catering in Baltimore County, Maryland. And they were fortunate during the COVID-19 pandemic to have the grocery business to lean on. “COVID had a huge impact [on catering],” Santoni said. “We […]
Posted inCOVID News, Home Page Slider, Shelby Originals, Southeast
Market Profile: Grant’s IGA Store Locations Serve As ‘Lifeline’ To Their Communities
Co-owner: Many towns would be ‘food deserts if we weren’t there’ by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer The way Ron Martin sees it, small-town local grocery stores like those operated by Virginia-based Grant’s IGA are “a lifeline to the community.” Without them, many towns would be left without access to fresh food. Grant is president and […]
Posted inROFDA Reports, Home Page Slider, Shelby Originals, Southwest
Randy Arceneaux: Board Members’ Weekly Calls ‘Helped Us To Build An Even Closer Bond’
by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer As far as Randy Arceneaux is concerned, Affiliated Foods Inc. of Amarillo’s retail partners have been the frontline heroes throughout the coronavirus pandemic. “They are taking care of feeding America,” said Arceneaux, the company’s president and CEO. “All of the protocols they had to put in place in order […]
Posted inROFDA Reports, Home Page Slider, Shelby Originals, Southeast
Manard Lagasse: ROFDA Really Does ‘Some Outstanding Things’
by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer Across the landscape of 2020 – COVID and all – Manard Lagasse Jr. is proudest of retailers’ consistent approach to business through such a difficult time. “We’re in a lot of small communities, and their customers rely on their local grocery stores. Our retailers did everything they could to service […]
Posted inROFDA Reports, Home Page Slider, Shelby Originals, West
Ray Sprinkle: Camaraderie Is Key – ‘Bottom Line…We’re All Facing The Same Thing’
by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer The grocery industry was not prepared for the volume jump that came with the unprecedented coronavirus outbreak. To see it happen nationally, said Ray Sprinkle, was unprecedented. Disasters that affect volume, such as earthquakes or hurricanes, typically occur regionally. Demand was at an all-time high in the spring. However, […]
Posted inROFDA Reports, Amazon Fresh, Home Page Slider, Midwest, Shelby Originals, Whole Foods
Amy Niemetscheck: The Local Story – ‘Our Stores Can Continue To Find Those Connections’
by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer The state of Wisconsin was looking grim in March, according to Amy Niemetscheck. A state mandate took effect rapidly in light of the COVID-19 outbreak. “Our back office, within five days, went from not having a work-from-home policy to quickly adapting,” she said of Certco Inc., where she is […]
Posted inPrivate Label Brands, Dairy News, Home Page Slider, National, Plant-Based News, Shelby Originals
Sorensen: Building A Strategic Private Label Plan For Milk, Plant-Based Beverages
by Cindy Sorensen/founder, The Grocery Group I just returned from a visit to a local grocery store. What I found to be most interesting as I reviewed the milk and plant-based beverage department is this retailer, like most others, has responded with a private label selection that matches national and local brand milk and plant-based products, […]
Posted inCenter Store, Amazon Fresh, Home Page Slider, National, Shelby Originals, Whole Foods
Profile: Meet Sydney Wicklacz With Kraft Heinz Co.
The Shelby Report and The Grocery Group together present this series, People to Watch, to focus on current and future leadership in the grocery industry. In this installment, Grocery Group Founder and CEO Cindy Sorensen interviews Sydney Wicklacz, associate customer category manager with the Kraft Heinz Co. I first met Sydney when she was a […]
Posted inPrivate Label Brands, COVID News, Home Page Slider, National, Shelby Originals
IGA Pleased With Popularity Of Its Label In Marketplace
New look, pandemic have boosted sales by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer This is the first article in a three-part series by The Shelby Report on private label brands. The Independent Grocers Alliance recently finished a renaissance of its private label brand, which timed well with the surge in grocery sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. One […]
Posted inPrivate Label Brands, COVID News, Home Page Latest News, National, Shelby Originals
Savings, Supply Shortages Turn Shoppers To Private Brands
Majority of items ‘comparable if not better’ by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer This is the second article in a three-part series by The Shelby Report on private label brands. Affiliated Foods Amarillo is having an “incredible year” in private brand sales, according to the president and CEO of the Amarillo, Texas-based wholesaler, Randy Arceneaux. Year-to-date, […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Amazon Fresh, Home Page Slider, National, Shelby Originals, Whole Foods
Column: Supermarkets Should Consider Firing Up That Recommendation Engine
by Katie Hotze, CEO of Grocery Shopii Predictive analytics has exploded on the scene in grocery retail, with Amazon delivering a master class on the power of predictive technology that motivates shoppers to buy more product more often when the suggestive pairings are done for them. Late last year, McKinsey & Company reported that more […]
Posted inShelby Originals, Home Page Latest News, Southwest
Affiliated Foods Reflects On Successful Virtual Fall Event
Affiliated Foods Inc. of Amarillo, Texas, recently held its first virtual event, “Together as 1,” from Aug. 24-28. Officials said the 3D experience, which took the place of AFI’s usual fall show, drew participants representing more than 300 membership store locations. Organizers and users were both pleased with what they described as a “great experience.” […]
Posted inNonfood Items, Home Page Slider, Northeast, Shelby Originals
Market Profile: Pennington Quality Market Is Very Much A Family Business
Rothwell brings his experience to join his father’s dream by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer Growing up, Mike Rothwell knew exactly what he wanted to do – work in the food industry. As a kid, he worked alongside his dad, Larry, who was an executive for The Fleming Company, before spreading his wings to pursue the […]
Posted inNortheast Market Review, Home Page Latest News, Northeast, Shelby Originals
The Griffin Report Unveils Its 2020 Northeast Market Review
Each year, The Griffin Report of the Northeast publishes a Northeast Market Review – a guide of food retailers in the region that includes store totals and market share by state as well as other helpful information. This year’s Northeast Market Review is sponsored by Imperial Distributors and also appears in the October 2020 print edition of The Griffin Report […]
Posted inExecutive News, Home Page Latest News, National, Shelby Originals, Special Section
The Shelby Report Celebrates The Life Of Publisher Bill Dooley
Shelby Publishing’s Bill Dooley lost a courageous battle with cancer on Sept. 4. He died peacefully in his home, surrounded by family. Dooley, who had been named publisher of the company in April, was long known within the grocery industry for his “incessant sense of humor and untouchable strength.” For a celebration of his life, […]
Posted inNonfood Items, Home Page Latest News, Shelby Originals, Southwest
Market Profile: At Shelton’s Grocery, Goal Is ‘To Keep People Shopping In Small Towns’
Good family also operates Walters Hometown Grocery in neighboring community by Mary Margaret Stewart, staff writer Jena Good’s parents, Stan and Cherryl, purchased Shelton’s Grocery in Waurika, Oklahoma, in 1999, right before her ninth birthday. And ever since then, she’s been in the stores. “When we first purchased Shelton’s, my dad was still working at Goodyear. […]
Posted inCOVID News, Home Page Slider, Shelby Originals, Southeast
Market Profile: Staffing Was A Challenge For Lowcountry Grocers
by John McCurry, contributing writer Lynn Willard formed Lowcountry Grocers in 2014. The company began with six stores, all in the eastern half of South Carolina, and has gradually grown to 12 locations. Willard said there has been a large learning curve during the pandemic. As is the case with many grocers, the big challenge […]