Heinen’s is extending its use of the Afresh AI platform to period ending inventory across its fresh departments, replacing manual after-hours counts with AI-generated inventory estimates in produce, meat, deli, cheese and bakery. The Warrensville Heights, Ohio-based grocer already used Afresh for store ordering, so adding the inventory review required no new integrations or devices, […]
Category: Meat/Seafood/Poultry
The Shelby Report covers meat, seafood and poultry for grocery retailers nationwide, from protein trends and pricing developments to supplier announcements and meat department merchandising strategies. Updated regularly across our five regional editions.
See more meat and seafood coverage in Focus on Fresh: Meat & Seafood.
Posted inGrocery Research, Featured News, Meat/Seafood/Poultry, National, News
Survey: 55 Percent Of Consumers Are Buying Less Beef
Fifty-five percent of U.S. consumers are buying less beef or have stopped entirely amid rising prices, the New World screwworm outbreak and global trade disruptions, according to the 2026 Consumer Grocery and Protein Trends survey released July 21 by Blue Yonder. At the same time, one-third of consumers have increased their overall protein purchases in […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, National, News, West
Pacific Seafood, Ocean Beauty Seafoods Merge Distribution Businesses
Pacific Seafood and Ocean Beauty Seafoods have merged their distribution businesses, combining two family-owned seafood companies across six western facilities.
Expert Article
Incremental Growth Starts With Ground Pork
By Kiersten Hafer, VP of Business Intelligence and Innovation, National Pork Board The way consumers shop, order and eat continues to morph. They’re looking for high-protein, flexible and adventurous meals that deliver on taste, value and versatility all at once. That shift creates a major opportunity for retailers, and pork is uniquely positioned to deliver. […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, News, Southeast
Pilgrim’s Invests $75M To Expand GA Plant, Closes TN Harvesting Operations
The company will expand capacity to produce a mix of higher‑value, boneless chicken products – including those in fast‑growing categories.
Posted inGrocery Research, Meat/Seafood/Poultry, National, News
Survey: 85% Say Whole-Food Protein Is Healthier Than Processed Alternatives
A new national survey of 2,000 U.S. adults commissioned by Pre Brands finds that consumers strongly prefer real, whole‑food protein sources over processed alternatives. Eighty‑five percent of respondents say whole‑food protein is healthier than protein from processed products, 79 percent find it more satisfying and 74 percent say it is more filling. Nearly two‑thirds (65 […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Marketing News, Midwest, News, Save A Lot
Save A Lot Spotlighting How Its Stores Cut Meat In-House
Save‑A‑Lot has launched a Fresh Cut Meat campaign, spotlighting the retailer’s commitment to providing customers with fresh, quality meat cut in-store. The campaign highlights a key point of difference from other national grocery chains: Save‑A‑Lot cuts meat fresh in‑store. At stores nationwide, trained meat cutters prepare select beef and pork products daily. “At Save‑A‑Lot, we […]
Posted inGrocery Research, Bakery News, Dairy News, Deli News, Featured News, Meat/Seafood/Poultry, National, News, Produce News
Circana, FMI Webinar: Digital Demand Reshapes Fresh Food Shopping
Fresh food sales are navigating a complex consumer landscape shaped by gas price pressures, affordability concerns and accelerating e-commerce adoption, according to insights shared during a recent webinar hosted by Circana and FMI. The online session, “Fresh Perspectives: Demystifying Demand in the Digital Age,” brought together Jonna Parker, VP of fresh foods at Circana; Kelly […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Executive News, News, Southwest
Tyson Foods Names Schomburger Next CEO, Succeeding King
Tyson Foods has named Jeff Schomburger president and CEO, effective Oct. 4. Following a transition period beginning in July, Schomburger will succeed Donnie King, who is retiring after a 43‑year career with the company. Schomburger has been a member of the Tyson Foods board of directors since 2016, which has given him a strong understanding […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, News, Northeast, ShopRite, Wakefern
Wakefern Expands Domestic Kosher Beef Program In ShopRite Stores
Wakefern Food Corp. is expanding and enhancing its fresh domestic kosher beef offering for ShopRite stores with kosher meat departments under rabbinical supervision. Through a new direct‑sourcing program, select ShopRite locations will have expanded access to a wider variety of fresh, high‑quality domestic kosher beef – including bone‑in and boneless cuts, steaks, roasts and offals. […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Meat/Seafood/Poultry, National, News
PepsiCo Foods Launches Good Warrior Snack Brand
PepsiCo Foods is introducing a new addition to the protein snack arena with Good Warrior, a new masterbrand built for people who demand more from their protein. The debut product, Good Warrior Beef Sticks, launches in March 2026 at select U.S. retailers. The beef sticks are made with grass-fed and finished beef and deliver 10 […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, National, New Products, News
Oscar Mayer Launches Maple Bourbon Bacon With Evan Williams
Oscar Mayer, the Kraft Heinz-owned meat brand, is rolling out Maple Bourbon Bacon to grocery stores nationwide, marking its first bacon innovation in five years. The thick-cut bacon is cured with barrel-aged Evan Williams bourbon and finished with Oscar Mayer’s 12-hour slow smoke process. “While we have been crafting delicious bacon for 90 years, Maple […]
Posted inPackaging News, Equipment & Technology, Meat/Seafood/Poultry, National, News
Chef Robotics Expands AI-Powered Automation Into Meatpacking
Chef Robotics, a San Francisco-based food robotics company, has expanded its artificial intelligence-driven automation platform to handle tray assembly for meatpacking. The system can assemble raw, frozen and precooked proteins – including pork loin fillets, chicken breasts, steaks, lamb chops, bratwursts and sausage links – onto trays before packaging. Tray assembly for proteins has been […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Featured News, National, News
USDA Invests $2M In Invasive Catfish Processing Facilities In MD, IL
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded $2 million to two seafood processors in Maryland and Illinois to expand capacity for processing invasive, wild-caught catfish. Issued through the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program, the grants are aimed at reducing invasive catfish populations – particularly in Chesapeake Bay – while creating economic opportunity in rural […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Finance News, Midwest, News
Entrepreneur Acquires Honey Creek Legacy, Rebrands As Legacy Maker Farms
Legacy Maker Farms officially launched following the acquisition and rebranding of Honey Creek Legacy by an investor group led by entrepreneur Steven Hershberger. The Indiana-born business leader, who brings deep experience in food manufacturing and consumer packaged goods, will serve as CEO and president of the Fairmount, Indiana-based premium beef company. “With this acquisition, we […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Featured News, National, News, Save A Lot
Save A Lot Begins ‘Bacon For A Year’ Sweepstakes
Save A Lot is running a Bacon for a Year sweepstakes through March 31, offering one winner a $500 gift card – the equivalent of a 12 months’ supply of the chain’s Farmington bacon brand. Customers can enter through the Save A Lot app or by mail. No purchase is necessary. A winner will be […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Featured News, Grocery Research, National, News
FMI Report: Frequent Seafood Shoppers Drive 40% Of Category Sales
Just 10 percent of shoppers account for 40 percent of all seafood purchases, according to The Power of Seafood 2026, a new report from FMI – The Food Industry Association that debuted March 15 at Seafood Expo North America. The finding points to a category that looks stable on the surface but is dependent on […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Marketing News, National, News
BAP Launches Responsible Seafood Campaign With Save Mart
Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) has launched its “Seafood You Can Trust” marketing toolkit with The Save Mart Companies, deploying the campaign across all Save Mart and Lucky stores in California. What the toolkit includes The toolkit is a customizable campaign with a suite of assets – including in-store signage, digital banners, social media content and […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Association News, Featured News, News, Northeast
Seafood Expo North America Expo Opens In Boston, MA
The 44th edition of the Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America, the continent’s largest seafood trade event, opened March 15 at the Thomas M. Menino Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston. The three-day expo runs through March 17, covering 247,915 net square feet of exhibit space with 1,215 exhibitors representing 50 countries. Major retail buyers […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Association News, Featured News, National, News
12 Finalists Named For 2026 Seafood Excellence Awards
Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America has named 12 finalists for its 2026 Seafood Excellence Awards, selected from 108 entries in its New Product Showcase. Winners will be announced at 3:30 p.m. ET on March 15 in the Wave Makers’ Zone at the Thomas M. Menino Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston, followed by […]