As part of the 16th Take a Bite Out of Hunger program, The United Family donated more than 50,000 pounds of apples throughout April to food banks and food pantries in Texas and New Mexico. Thanks to the partnership between The United Family and FirstFruits Farms, more than 650,000 pounds of apples have been donated […]
Category: Featured News
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Featured News, News, Southeast
Kueffner: NC Grocers Maneuvering To Meet Regulatory Rules, Consumer Needs
Lindsey Kueffner, executive director of the Carolinas Food Industry Council, is in the midst of a busy legislative season in North Carolina that got under way April 21. Nevertheless, she took time to respond to questions from The Shelby Report of the Southeast’s Lorrie Griffith about the state’s grocery industry and some of the challenges […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Feature, Featured News, News, Southeast, Walmart
Walmart Blanketing Southeast With Remodeled Supercenters, Additional Locations
On April 16, Walmart announced its plans for remodels and new locations in markets across the country. A total of 650 remodels is planned, along with 20 new store locations this year and early into 2027. “This year, we are making a significant investment in our stores across the United States, reinforcing our commitment to […]
Posted inFinance News, Association News, Featured News
Report: Independent Grocers Generate $557.5B In Annual Economic Activity
According to a new economic impact analysis released today by the National Grocers Association, independent supermarket operators generate $557.5 billion in total annual economic activity, representing nearly 2 percent of U.S. gross domestic product. The report, conducted by Arizona State University using store-level retail sales data from NielsenIQ’s TDLinx platform, found that independent grocers account […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Featured News, News, West
Market of Choice Completes Basics Market Acquisition, Plans Store Refresh
Market of Choice has completed its acquisition of Basics Market in Portland’s Hillsdale neighborhood, adding a fifth location in the metro area and bringing the company’s total statewide footprint to 13 stores. The transition to Market of Choice is expected to take place June 23, with no store closure planned. The deal, announced in January, […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Featured News, Giant Food, News, Northeast
Annual Giant Barbecue Battle Returns June 27-28 To Washington, D.C.
The 34th Annual Giant Barbecue Battle will take place June 27-28 between 3rd and 7th streets on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., featuring world-class barbecue, international flavors, celebrity chefs, live music and activities for all ages. Recognized by the U.S. Congress as the Official National Barbecue Championship, the event ranks as one of the country’s […]
Posted inWholesaler/Distributor News, Feature, Featured News, News, Southeast
PWADC Food Show To Feature New Products, Education Sessions
Piggly Wiggly Alabama Distributing Co. (PWADC) is heading into its May food show and aims to build on recent gains in show performance, private label, fresh and digital participation. Tod Seiling, who joined PWADC as chief merchandising officer in October 2025 after executive roles with Lidl US and Save A Lot, said the co-op has […]
Posted inGrocery Research, Costco Wholesale, Featured News, National, News
5WPR Index Finds Costco Tops AI Citation Rankings, Walmart Trails
Costco emerged atop 5WPR’s 2026 U.S. Grocery Retail AI Visibility Index, the first to rank U.S. grocers by how frequently they are cited inside artificial intelligence-generated answers. The warehouse club retailer was cited most often when American shoppers ask ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity or Google AI Overviews where to buy their groceries. Trader Joe’s ranked second, […]
Posted inFinance News, Featured News, Grocery Research, National, News
Upside Report Reveals A Growing Income Divide In Consumer Spending
Upside’s new report “The Income Divide” reveals that high- and low-income consumers are making fundamentally different decisions about where and how much to spend. The findings, drawn from more than 10 billion transactions and surveys of 3,500-plus shoppers, show consumer behavior splits sharply at $75,000 in household income. Above that threshold, consumers report increased spending […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Featured News, News, West
Sprouts To Open New Market In Santa Maria, CA
Sprouts Farmers Market will open a new store May 15 at 2170 S. Bradley Road in Santa Maria, California. “The city of Santa Maria is excited for the opening of Sprouts as it is a business that many of our residents look forward to having within our community,” said Mayor Alice Patino. “Sprouts is a wonderful […]
Posted inOrganic Natural, Featured News, National, News
Independent Natural Food Co-op INFRA Tops 400 Members
The Independent Natural Food Retailers Association (INFRA) has surpassed 400 member stores in more than 650 communities nationwide. In addition, the association reached $3.4 billion in representative sales in 2025 and continues to lead the natural channel in dollar sales growth, at 8 percent year over year from 2024-25. Pat Sheridan, INFRA president and CEO, […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Featured News, Giant Food, News, Northeast
Giant Food Celebrates Grand Reopenings In VA, MD
Giant Food celebrated a milestone day May 8, with back-to-back grand reopening ceremonies at remodeled stores in Vienna, Virginia, and Germantown, Maryland. The events mark not only an investment in the company’s physical footprint but also the grocer’s 90th anniversary. “Since opening our first store as the region’s very first self-service supermarket, we recognize that […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Featured News, Leadership, National, News, The Grocer's Playbook
Leadership: Be The Leader People Want To Work For
People do not follow titles for long. They follow credibility. They follow consistency. They follow leaders whose behavior makes trust possible. In an age when culture is tested daily, the enduring leadership principle is surprisingly simple: do your job, live your values, and give people something worth following. There is a leadership lesson that never […]
Posted inAssociation News, Featured News, National, News
NGA Welcomes USDA’s Final SNAP Stocking Standards
The National Grocers Association (NGA) released a statement welcoming the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s final stocking standards for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Stephanie Johnson, NGA head of government affairs, emphasized the role of independent grocers in delivering nutritious food access across the country. “[The standards] reinforce the importance of access to a broad range […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Featured News, Giant Food, Marketing News, News, Northeast
Giant Eagle Taps Ibotta As Exclusive Digital Promotions Partner
Giant Eagle Inc. has selected Ibotta as the provider of digital promotions across its 200-plus supermarkets and platforms. The partnership represents a step forward in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based grocer’s “Because It Matters” business strategy, a multi-year plan centered on delivering better everyday value and a modernized shopping experience. By integrating with the Ibotta Performance Network, […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Corporate Store News, Featured News, National, News
Grocers Roll Out Mother’s Day Specials, Events, Savings
Mother’s Day is shaping up to be one of the biggest shopping moments of the year for the grocery industry. According to Instacart data, Mother’s Day was the No. 1 day for gift orders on its platform in 2025, with customers placing gift orders 18 times more often than average — enough to edge out […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Featured News, H-E-B, News, Southwest
H-E-B Awards $480K To Top Texas Educators
H-E-B has announced the statewide winners for the 2026 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards during a ceremony May 4 at the Marriott Marquis Houston. H-E-B awarded $480,000 in cash and grants to six teachers, two counselors, two principals, one early childhood facility, one public school board and two school districts. Since 2002, the H-E-B Excellence […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Featured News, Meijer, Midwest, News
Meijer Opens Stores In 3 MW States
Meijer opened three new stores May 6, expanding its presence in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio with a mix of supercenter and grocery formats. The openings include a new Meijer Grocery store in Rochester Hills, Michigan; and new supercenters in Brownsburg, Indiana, and Bainbridge Township, Ohio. The Rochester Hills location is the retailer’s fourth Meijer Grocery […]
Posted inExecutive News, Featured News, Food City, News, Southeast
Greene, Slagle Take On New Roles At Food City
Food City recently announced two key leadership moves, naming Joe Greene EVP of operations for its Knoxville, Tennessee, division and expanding Bucky Slagle’s role to VP of foodservice, Starbucks, produce and floral operations. The moves bring more than 80 years of combined industry experience to expanded leadership positions across the 163-store grocery chain. Greene returns […]
Posted inExecutive News, Featured News, National, News, Private Label Brands
Ahold Delhaize USA Names Cook SVP Of Own Brands
Ahold Delhaize USA has appointed Abby Cook as SVP, Own Brands In the role, Cook will lead the company’s Own Brands portfolio, overseeing strategy, innovation and execution to drive growth and differentiation across the U.S. businesses. She will report to Chief Commercial and Digital Officer Keith Nicks. Growing Together component Own Brands are a critical […]