QuickChek has appointed Chris Smyly as director of foodservice and has hired Chef Ted Kwiecien as culinary specialist. The Whitehouse Station, New Jersey-based fresh convenience market chain has been opening newly designed stores with more than half of each new store’s space dedicated to fresh foodservice. Smyly has been a senior category manager with the […]
Category: Grocery News
Posted inBeverage News, C-Store News, Southwest
7-Eleven Adds A New Slurpee Lite—Glaceau Vitaminwater Chill
A new Slurpee Lite drink is in town, and it’s the first glacéau vitaminwater Chill carried by 7-Eleven stores. The first featured flavor launched by 7-Eleven and glacéau is Blueberry Lavender. The periwinkle blue-colored frozen drink is naturally flavored, contains no sugar and has 20 calories per 8-oz. serving. “Botanical extracts really complement fruit flavors […]
Posted inPiggly Wiggly, Health & Wellness, Home Page Slider, Independent Store News, Industry News, Midwest, Online Grocery Technology, Store News
Piggly Wiggly Midwest Stores Now Accepting Healthy Savings
Piggly Wiggly Midwest is now accepting the Healthy Savings wellness program at all locations. Healthy Savings is a national health and wellness program helping health insurers, employers, government entities and nonprofits make healthier foods more affordable. Partnering with more than 14,000 brands and stores, Healthy Savings allows members to save more than $50 weekly on healthier […]
Posted in, Bakery News, Frozen Food, Home Page Slider, National, Suppliers
Reese’s Ice Cream Cake Now Available In Grocery Stores
Reese’s Ice Cream Cake will roll out into select grocery stores across the country in time for “I Love Reese’s Day” on May 18. The cake is made with chocolate ice cream, chunks of real Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, a layer of Reese’s peanut butter and whipped icing with a Hershey’s chocolate drizzle on top. […]
Posted inNational, Corporate Store News, Home Page Slider, Nonfood Items
Walmart Raises Tobacco Purchase Age To 21; Stops Some Flavor Sales
Walmart Inc. has raised the age for customers to purchase tobacco products and e-cigarettes to 21 years old and will stop selling some flavors of electronic nicotine products. Beginning July 1, anyone purchasing tobacco products at Walmart or Sam’s Club stores must be 21 years old. “There’s been a lot of discussion lately about how […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Association News, Grocery News, Home Page Slider, National, Suppliers
Beef Checkoff Launches New And Improved ‘Veal Made Easy’ Website
The North American Meat Institute (NAMI), on behalf of the Beef Checkoff, has unveiled a new consumer and industry-focused “Veal Made Easy” website that offers a simpler user experience, easy navigation and improved mobile performance. The extensive library of recipes, images and how-to cooking videos have been categorized for easy browsing. Reimagined veal recipes draw […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Organic Natural, Perishables, Southeast, Suppliers
Whole Foods Now Carrying Wayne Farms Chicken Line
Whole Foods Market is now carrying Naked Truth Premium Chicken in its meat departments at stores nationwide. Naked Truth Premium Chicken is produced by Oakwood, Georgia-based Wayne Farms LLC. The new, fully cooked, flash-frozen chicken products are all natural, meaning they contain no artificial ingredients, no preservatives, no nitrates or nitrites; 100 percent vegetarian diet […]
Posted inCenter Store, Midwest, Snacks Brands, Suppliers
Pretzels Inc. To Expand Indiana Maufacturing Facility By 120,000 S.F.
Pretzels Inc. plans to expand its manufacturing facility in Plymouth, Indiana, by adding 120,000 s.f. The manufacturing expansion is designed to increase capacity across a range of products and capabilities. “This expansion exemplifies Pretzels’ commitment to exceed our customers’ expectations by significantly enhancing our capabilities and capacity,” said Greg Pearson, CEO of Pretzels Inc. “Pretzels’ […]
Posted inBeverage News, Center Store, Executive News, Home Page Slider, Southwest, Suppliers
Farmer Bros. CEO Keown Out; Mottern Named Interim CEO
Christopher P. Mottern, who has served as a director on the Farmer Bros. Co. board since 2013, has been appointed to serve as interim CEO, succeeding Michael Keown who, by mutual agreement with the board, stepped down as company president, CEO and director. The change was effective May 7. Farmer Bros. Co. is a Northlake, […]
Posted inNonfood Items, Center Store, Home Page Slider, Midwest, West
Lip Smacker, Crayola Create Lip Line With Flavor And Color
Two popular American brands have combined to create the Lip Smacker x Crayola collection. The collection pairs Lip Smacker’s popular best flavors with Crayola crayon colors. The Lip Smacker x Crayola Collection includes a five-piece liquid lip gloss party pack, a lip balm trio and an eight-piece lip balm party pack. “At Lip Smacker, our […]
Posted inSuppliers, Center Store, Dairy News, Frozen Food, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, National, Wholesaler/Distributor News
Nestlé To Close Eight DCs, Transition To Warehouse Model
Nestlé USA will exit its company-owned frozen direct-store-delivery (DSD) network for its pizza and ice cream businesses and transition to a warehouse model. The company says the change will leverage the warehouse network that Nestlé already uses for its frozen meals and snacks. The phased transition will commence in the third quarter of 2019 and […]
Posted inNortheast, Grocery News, Health & Wellness, Organic Natural, Perishables, Suppliers
Hain Celestial Sells WestSoy Brand To Keystone Natural
Hain Celestial Group Inc., an organic and natural products company with operations in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, has completed the divestiture of the WestSoy tofu, seitan and tempeh businesses to Keystone Natural Holdings, a portfolio company of Keystone Capital focusing on plant-based food. The strategic divestiture did not include the WestSoy […]
Posted inSuppliers, Center Store, Grocery News, Industry News, Merchandising News, National, Snacks Brands
Mars Wrigley Seeking Retailers For Merchandising Solutions Program
Mars Wrigley Confectionery U.S. is making known the 2019 innovative merchandising incubator, a national program to provide retailers with the opportunity to receive merchandising solutions and drive sales. One to two retailers will be chosen to have a relationship with Mars Wrigley Confectionery to develop a customized test-and-learn solution aimed at tackling shopping challenges facing […]
Posted inDeli News, Corporate Store News, Food Service News, Home Page Latest News, National, Perishables, Store News
Home Chef Testing Three New Meal Kits In Midwest Kroger Stores
Already carried in more than 900 Kroger-owned stores nationwide, Home Chef is testing three new meal kit formats in select Kroger stores in the Midwest. The new options are: Home Chef Oven-Ready meals; Home Chef Heat & Eat meals (its first fully-cooked, ready-to-heat meals); and Home Chef Lunch Kits. “Our customers’ dinnertime needs are constantly […]
Posted inBeverage News, Dairy News, Home Page Slider, National, Suppliers
Reddi-Wip Adds Nitro Creamer And Sweet Foam To Barista Line
Reddi-wip has moved into the coffee creamer category with a Barista line of cream-based products that include Nitro Creamer and Sweet Foam. The new product gives consumers a coffeehouse experience any time of day, without the coffee shop lines or prices. “Given the continued strength of coffee sales and the fact that many consumers already […]
Posted inBakery News, Grocery News, Home Page Slider, International Foods, National, Snacks Brands, Suppliers
Voortman Bakery Expands S’mores Cookie Portfolio
Voortman Bakery will return its seasonal s’mores offerings with the release of a brand new cookie and the return of the classic S’mores Crème Wafer. This collection comes after Voortman’s fast-selling s’mores wafer quickly became a fan favorite last year. Evoking a sense of nostalgia, the new s’mores cookie instantly takes consumers back to fond […]
Posted inBakery News, C-Store News, Corporate Store News, Grocery News, Home Page Slider, Independent Store News, Snacks Brands, Southeast, Store News
McKee Foods Purchases Prairie City Bakery, Will Retain Employees
Collegedale, Tennessee-based McKee Foods, best known for its Little Debbie brand of snack cakes, has acquired Vernon Hills, Illinois-based Prairie City Bakery. Mike McKee, president and CEO of McKee Foods, and Bill Skeens, CEO of Prairie City Bakery, made the announcement May 3. Prairie City Bakery was co-founded by Skeens more than 25 years ago. […]
Posted inBeverage News, Home Page Slider, Southwest, Suppliers
Oskar Blues Brewery Releases Can-O-Bliss Hazy IPA
Oskar Blues Brewery has released its Can-O-Bliss Hazy IPA, the newest creation in the Can-O-Bliss IPA series of brews. Can-O-Bliss Hazy IPA will be distributed nationally on draft and in 6-packs and 12-packs of 12-oz. cans. Described by Oskar Blues Brewery as “a hazed-out and hopped-up IPA, Can-O-Bliss Hazy IPA (7.2% ABV) is brewed with […]
Posted inSouthwest, Health & Wellness, Store News
Natural Grocers’ Second Quarter Net Sales Up 6.7%, Comps Up 2.9%
For its second quarter ended March 31, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc. said its net sales increased 6.7 percent to $230.4 million vs. the same period last year; daily average comparable store sales increased 2.9 percent vs. 7.1 percent in the prior-year quarter; operating income increased 8.4 percent to $6.1 million; net income increased […]
Posted inHealth & Wellness, Home Page Slider, Organic Natural, Store News, West
Sprouts Farmers Market’s Net Sales Up 10 Percent In Q1
Phoenix, Arizona-based Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. reported results for the 13-week first quarter ended March 31. First quarter highlights include net sales of $1.4 billion, a 10 percent increase from the same period in 2018; comparable store sales growth of 1.4 percent and two-year comparable store sales growth of 4.1 percent; net income of $56 […]