Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Home Page Slider, Shelby Exclusives, Southeast

Profile: Meet Katie Hotze, Founder And CEO Of Grocery Shopii

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, The Grocery Group Founder and CEO Cindy Sorenson interviews Katie Hotze, founder and CEO of Grocery Shopii. Tell me a little bit about you and what do […]

Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Home Page Slider, Market Profile, Shelby Exclusives, Southwest

Market Profile: AGRMA Says Success May Hinge On Online Experience

by John McCurry, contributing writer Charlie Spakes, executive director of the Arkansas Grocery and Retail Merchants Association, AGRMA, said the future success of independent grocers may depend largely on how quickly they can adapt to online ordering.  “They probably would have liked more time to get ready and get adapted before this whole [COVID-19] crisis […]

Posted inNonfood Items, Home Page Slider, Market Profile, Shelby Exclusives, Southwest

Market Profile: Allen’s Foods Cultivates Camaraderie Within Caring Community

Bella Vista is a city of about 31,000 in the northwest corner of Arkansas, some seven miles south of the Missouri line. It lies in the middle of a resort area with a large number of retirees and also serves as a bedroom community to nearby Bentonville, home of Walmart’s headquarters. Serving the Bella Vista […]

Posted inCOVID News, Home Page Slider, Market Profile, Shelby Exclusives, Southeast

Market Profile: Cash Saver Adds Fourth Store In Memphis Area

Shoppers tired of pandemic, but that ‘does not make it go away’ by John McCurry, contributing writer Rick James, owner and CEO of Castle Group, based in Memphis, operates four Cash Saver stores. That includes the recent acquisition of a store that closed in April due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The stores have performed well so […]

Posted inCOVID News, Home Page Slider, Market Profile, Shelby Exclusives, Southeast

Market Profile: TGCSA-Backed Talent Exchange Connected Laid-Off Workers

by John McCurry, contributing writer With areas of the economy – notably hospitality – hit hard by the pandemic, the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association worked with the Tennessee Department of Tourism to connect laid-off hotel and laid-off restaurant workers with jobs in the grocery industry, which was scrambling to find workers. Rob Ikard, […]

Posted inCOVID News, Home Page Slider, Market Profile, Shelby Exclusives, West

Market Profile: Pandemic’s Efforts Stretch From Bay Area To Oregon Line

by Cynthia Weifenbach, contributing writer The grocery industry has been at the forefront of feeding Northern California communities and doing its best to provide safe environments throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, not unlike other areas of the country, there are differences even within the region, such as San Francisco Bay and Sacramento. “We have these patches,” […]

Posted inInternational Foods, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, National, Shelby Exclusives

Soto: U.S. Hispanics Consider Internet Essential During Pandemic

by Terry Soto / CEO of About Marketing Solutions Inc. A recent Pew Center survey published in April 2020 finds that Hispanics are 28 percent more likely to say the internet has been essential during the pandemic (65 percent Hispanics vs. 50 percent White-Non-Hispanic). This is great news for retailers because as shoppers work to […]

Posted inMarket Profile, Home Page Slider, Shelby Exclusives, Southeast

Assoc. Grocers CEO With Optimistic Outlook Amidst Coronavirus Pandemic

by John McCurry / contributing writer Overall, grocers in Louisiana and Mississippi have handled the coronavirus pandemic well. That’s the assessment of Manard Lagasse, president and CEO of Baton Rouge-based Associated Grocers. Associated Grocers provides resources and support for more than 200 independent grocers in those states and Texas.  “Obviously, there have been some issues […]