Leon Bergmann has been named president of West Region Wholesale for Supervalu, effective immediately. “Leon’s experience at both Unified (Grocers) and Supervalu will allow him to hit the ground running as we incorporate customers from the western United States into the larger Supervalu family of retailers. I’m thrilled he has accepted this opportunity to be […]
Category: Shelby Signature Content
Family-Owned GES Has A Hit With Edwards Cash Saver
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Southwest When the ownership of longtime community grocer Knight’s Super Foods in Beebe, Arkansas, changed hands from one family to another early this year, there likely was some apprehension in the community. The Knight family had been very active in Beebe. People knew and trusted them. Paul Rowton was sensitive to those feelings. […]
Oliver’s Market Reaffirms Its Focus On Community With Launch Of ESOP
by Alissa Marchat/staff writer Oliver’s Market, Sonoma County’s largest locally owned and independent grocer, in early June celebrated the sale of 43 percent of the company to employees through an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). The company also registered with the state of California as a social purpose corporation, allowing leadership to consider employees, the […]
Best Practices For Supermarket Advertising Budget Allocation
To entice consumers to shop in-store or online, supermarkets must set aside a budget for advertising. With a range of 0.02-4.0 percent, food retailers spend an average of 1.25 percent of sales (excluding pharmacy and gasoline dollars) on advertising. The recently released “2017 Promotional and Advertising Practices Study Among U.S. Grocery Retailers,” published by Aptaris […]
Bo Jackson Says: Brand Name Is Meaningless Without A Reputation For Quality
Vincent “Bo” Jackson, a Heisman Trophy winner, a two-sport athlete and a businessman with more than two decades of experience, doesn’t take a half-hearted approach to anything if his track record is any indication. And the zealousness that has defined his athletic career also characterizes his more recent business ventures, including VEJ Holdings LLC, a […]
Grocers Growing Social Media Usage
Although 87 percent of supermarket shoppers say that they regularly follow one or more social media sites, just 25 percent indicate they are friends with or connected to their primary grocery store. Those stats are from our previous article featuring the Retail Feedback Group’s “U.S. Supermarket Shopper Digital Update.” Interaction Marketing’s report, “Social Media: Invest […]
Montana Community Comes Together To Build A Desperately Needed Store
by Alissa Marchat/staff writer Lodge Pole, Montana, located within the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, will have its own grocery store for the first time in decades when the Red Paint Creek Trading Post and Pantry, a nonprofit cooperative, opens this summer. Leslie “Josie” Cliff, GM and project manager, told The Shelby Report in late May […]
Harry Blazer: Reflections On The Proposed Whole Foods Purchase By Amazon
Harry Blazer founded Harry’s Farmers Market in the Atlanta area in 1987, opening in Alpharetta. Two others later opened in metro counties Cobb and Gwinnett. Whole Food Market purchased the three Harry’s megastores in October 2001 as well as a distribution center, commissary kitchen, bakehouse and office facilities. Today, Blazer is a consultant ([email protected]). Here […]
Sealed Air/Cryovac Packaging ‘Sets The Food Apart’
“We provide packaging that sets the food apart and makes it easier for someone to make a quick decision so they can get on about their busy day.” That’s how Lucian Gray, director of North American business development for Sealed Air/Cryovac’s Food Care/Foodservice Division, describes the food packages his company offers for food retailers. Sealed […]
J&J Foods Debuts Rebranded Gainesville, Georgia, Store To Big Opening Day Crowd
Local, unique and fresh. Those are the words that best describe The Market on Limestone in Gainesville, Georgia, according to President and CEO Darrell Wiley, who debuted the unit at 2500 Limestone Parkway on May 31. The store, formerly a J&J Foods, closed Memorial Day evening and reopened under its new name with a ribbon-cutting […]
Bow & Arrow Foods A Pioneer Of Non-GMO Corn Products
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Southwest The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (UMUT), one of three federally recognized tribes of the Ute Nation, resides in Towaoc, Colorado, on a reservation that covers more than a half-million acres and touches the Four Corners area—Arizona, New Mexico and Utah as well as Colorado. Surrounded by huge rock mesa formations and home […]
All Eyes On State And National Governments As Oregon Enjoys Booming Economy
by Alissa Marchat/staff writer The economic outlook is bright for the Beaver State, according to the state’s latest economic forecast, released by the Department of Administrative Services in late February. While Oregon is adding jobs at a slower pace than the “full-throttle” rates seen in 2014 and 2015, it still is outpacing the nation, with […]
M&A Advisor Expects More Deals In Latino Grocer Circles
by Lorrie Griffith/editor-in-chief Scott Moses sees a parallel between natural grocers and Latino-focused grocers, anticipating that some of the same growth that has occurred for natural grocers in recent years will increasingly take place for Latino grocers in coming months and years. Moses, who is a managing director and the head of food retail and […]
Ralphs, Gelson’s Women Execs Share Their Histories And Wisdom
The Food Industries Sales Managers’ Club of Los Angeles (FISMC) fittingly held its Women in the Food Industry Luncheon during March, which is Women’s History Month. Cynthia Weifenbach of CLW Consulting, chair of FISMC, emceed the event, during which Valerie Jabbar, president of Ralphs Grocery Co., and Hee-Sook Nelson, VP of team development and public […]
Northgate Executive: Expect Major Remodels, Expansions
Tom Herman says Northgate Gonzalez Markets has big plans. The chief experience officer for the 41-store Southern California chain reveals that the company intends to undertake “major remodels and expansions” this year. “Our strategy right now is we’re going back into some of our older facilities—either they’re smaller or older and can’t do the kind […]
Rosie To Serve As First Online Grocery Shopping Platform For Independents To Accept EBT/SNAP Payments
by Lorrie Griffith/editor-in-chief Independent grocers that use e-commerce provider Rosie’s app soon will be able to allow their shoppers to shop online and pay for SNAP-eligible items at-store using their EBT benefits. Jon Ambrose, co-founder and COO of Rosie, told The Shelby Report at his company’s booth at the recent NGA Show that Rosie has […]
Tyson’s New Chairman’s Reserve Prime Pork Is An ‘Aspirational’ Product
Tyson has added a new level to its Chairman’s Reserve line with “Prime” high-quality pork. The distinction is more familiar on the beef side of the business, but the hope is that consumers looking for top-of-the-line products will respond to Chairman’s Reserve Prime Pork in the same way. The brand was introduced with a tasting […]
Trade Show Planning For Your Store Success
by Michael Isenberg/COO, Chex Finer Foods Special to The Shelby Report The spring trade show season goes into full gear at the end of each February. Trade shows are important opportunities to see new products, renew old friendships, learn about industry trends and enhance your professional relationships. To assist you with maximizing your trade show opportunities, […]
Consumer Wellness Concerns Continue To Impact Animal Protein Industries
by Alissa Marchat/staff writer Departments in the store that sell meat, particularly the deli, meat and seafood departments, can be tricky spaces for shoppers to navigate. Even as consumers become more educated about the foods they eat and the industries that are producing them, they also are increasingly confused about the wellness and sustainability attributes […]
Being In The Running: Driving Deli Image And Reputation
by Anne-Marie Roerink/Principal, 210 Analytics; and Rick Stein/VP of fresh food, FMI Opportunities for deli growth are bright. These departments allow shoppers to have a hand in preparing tonight’s dinner—or not. The deli can offer a complete meal solution as an alternative to cooking, or a ready-to-eat (side) dish in combination with items cooked from scratch. […]
