Rise Baking Co. has appointed Mark McNeil as CEO, succeeding Brian Zellmer, who led the Minneapolis-based manufacturer over the past five years. McNeil is a seasoned food and beverage executive with more than 30 years of cross-functional leadership experience across retail, foodservice and manufacturing. He most recently served as CEO of Shearer’s Foods, the largest […]
Category: Grocery News
Expert Article
How Independent Retailers Can Maximize Refrigeration Performance, Profitability
Independent retailers face tight budgets and rising operational costs. These pressures are felt even stronger these days as consumers remain hyper-focused on grocery prices and affordability. Refrigeration equipment – critical for merchandising fresh and frozen products – represents a significant investment for retailers. Getting the most out of that investment starts with investing in the […]
Posted inFrozen Food, Association News, National, News
NFRA Penguin Pitch Spotlights Emerging Frozen, Refrigerated Brands
The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association’s (NFRA) Penguin Pitch: Emerging Brand Contest is returning for its third year, recognizing innovative frozen and refrigerated food brands redefining their categories through product development, creative packaging and strategic market execution. Launched Jan. 1, Penguin Pitch provides emerging brands with an opportunity to gain visibility among retailers, distributors […]
Expert Article
Commercial Ripening 2026: An Interview With David Byrne
Commercial ripening has come a long way over the past 30 years. From air-stacking boxes in temperature-controlled holding rooms to today’s ultra-advanced, digitally controlled ripening room systems that can uniformly ripen multiple truckloads of palletized fruit to the exact same color at the exact same time. As the global leader in commercial ripening room design […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, News, Northeast, Produce News, Tops Friendly Markets
Tops Markets Launches 2026 Produce Winter Olympic Games
Tops Markets has launched its 2026 Produce Winter Olympic Games, a four-week, company-wide competition Feb. 1-28 that challenges store teams to showcase produce displays, innovative merchandising and strong sales performance. Throughout the competition, stores participate in weekly themed events designed to highlight freshness, presentation and promotional creativity within the produce department. Teams compete for thousands […]
Posted inHealth & Wellness, National, News, Walmart
Walmart Raises Pharmacy Technician Pay, Creates 3K Leadership Roles
Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart has elevated 3,000 pharmacy technician positions to pharmacy operations team lead roles with increased pay and created expanded earning potential for techs across nearly 4,600 locations nationwide. The pharmacy operations team lead positions pay an average of $28 per hour, with the possibility to earn up to $42 per hour plus bonus […]
Posted inFrozen Food, Association News, National, News
NFRA Announces Second Class Of First Penguin Leadership Program
The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) has announced the 30 participants for its 2026 First Penguin Leadership Program. The year-long offering aims to address a growing industry need for structured, cross-sector leadership development that builds strategic perspective, strengthens collaboration and accelerates readiness among rising talent in dairy and frozen foods. It recognizes those […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, News, West
The Wonderful Company Awards $1.5M In Grants To Central Valley Nonprofits
The Wonderful Company has announced the latest recipients of its Central Valley Community Grants program, awarding more than $1.5 million in funding to 43 organizations across California’s Central Valley. The grants support initiatives focused on health and wellness, education, recreation, community beautification, art and social services in communities where more than 3,000 Wonderful employees live […]