Industry Leaders Speak | The Shelby Report

Category: Industry Leaders Speak

Non-Food For Thought: Home Field Advantage

By Naomi Sleeper, President, Imperial Distributors Inc. Non-Food for Thought is back. After a few-year hiatus, we are relaunching this column as a forum for sharing perspective on the trends, opportunities and challenges shaping non-food merchandising in the grocery channel. There may not be a more relevant time to renew these discussions than Summer 2026 […]

Real-Time Insight For Real Results: Giving Independent Grocers Control Over The Decisions That Drive Profit

Independent grocers operate in one of the most demanding areas of retail. Margins are tight, labor is unpredictable and vendor costs can change without warning. Yet many store leaders still rely on month-end reports or spreadsheets that arrive long after the moment to adjust has passed. That delay makes it harder to lead with confidence. […]

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 […]

Labor Pressures Rising: How Independent Grocers Can Control Costs Without Cutting Corners

Labor has always been essential to operations and one of the biggest factors influencing the bottom line. However, in fiscal 2024, labor and benefits costs climbed to new highs, putting even more pressure on already thin margins. According to the 2025 Independent Grocers Financial Study by FMS and NGA, total expenses increased to 25.8 percent […]

Posted inMerchandising News, Independent Store News, Industry Leaders Speak, National

Winning the Shrink Battle – How Independent Grocers Can Maximize Their Margins

by Sommer Stockton

Sponsored content Shrink silently chips away at profits through outdated product, theft, overstocking, damage and errors. These losses aren’t just missed revenue – they lead to dissatisfied customers and reduced reinvestment opportunities. Reducing shrink isn’t just about cutting losses – it’s about gaining clarity, control and profitability in a competitive industry. Shrink is the difference […]

Posted inCoborn's, Association News, Industry Leaders Speak, National

NGA CEO Greg Ferrara & Coborn’s SVP Dennis Host On Grocery Innovation, Opportunity

by Sommer Stockton

Sponsored content With a shared passion for supporting independent grocers and cultivating the next generation of industry leaders, Greg Ferrara, President and CEO of the National Grocers Association, and Dennis Host, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Coborn’s, a 135+ location Midwest chain, discuss Host’s unconventional path into the grocery industry, key lessons he’s learned […]

Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Industry Leaders Speak, National

How Geissler’s Supermarkets Added Shopping Carts With AI

by Sommer Stockton

Sponsored content Nick Nickitas, general manager of local independent grocery at Instacart, sat down for a conversation with Bob Rybick, president and CEO of Geissler’s Supermarket, to discuss the strategy behind Geissler’s decision to replace a majority of their shopping carts with AI-powered smart Caper Carts, making them one of the first retailers in the […]

Posted inIndustry Leaders Speak, National

Dispelling Pricing Analytics Myths

by Sommer Stockton

Sponsored content By Rajat Nigam, CEO and founder of Bungee Tech From managing tight margins to streamlining operations, the path to profitability in grocery retail is full of obstacles. Amid these challenges, grocery retailers are turning to pricing analytics and optimization to execute effective, competitive strategies. However, despite its proven benefits, some grocers remain hesitant […]

Posted inIndustry Leaders Speak, National

Customized POS Solutions Enhance, Protect Today’s Grocers

by Sommer Stockton

Sponsored content Supermarket retailers are increasingly focused on meeting consumer expectations for seamless, personalized and hyper-efficient shopper experiences. To help them achieve that goal, Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions recently introduced the TCx 900 point-of-sale system. Engineered with retail in mind, the TCx 900 is a robust solution with a small footprint and is designed to […]

Posted inIndustry Leaders Speak, Northeast

Private Label Blended Oils: From Idea To In Stock

by Sommer Stockton

Sponsored content By Kevin Cyr, director of retail sales, Catania Oils As the edible oil market continues to experience significant volatility, retailers are feeling the sting of high prices. Many are considering alternative options to straight oil, hoping to find a solution that is simultaneously profitable and appealing to consumers on inflation-induced budgets. At Catania […]

Posted inIndustry Leaders Speak, National

Harnessing Perpetual Inventory For Independent Grocers

by Sommer Stockton

Sponsored content In the fast-paced and competitive grocery industry, independent grocers must continuously seek innovative strategies to thrive. One such method, although a familiar strategy, is the implementation of perpetual inventory. This process provides real-time visibility into product levels, enabling grocers to optimize their inventory management processes and enhance operational efficiency. This article will help […]

Posted inIndustry Leaders Speak, National, Online Grocery Technology

Five Issues Omnichannel Grocers Need To Address This Year

by Sommer Stockton

Sponsored content By Mark Fairhurst, VP of marketing, Mercatus Technologies Inc. As VP of marketing at Mercatus, Fairhurst leads the development of the company’s overall marketing and brand strategy and related programs. He’s also co-host on “The Digital Grocer” podcast and brings to the show a marketer’s perspective on the rapidly evolving grocery tech landscape. […]

Posted inIndustry Leaders Speak, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods

How To Adapt To The Changing Grocery Industry

by Sommer Stockton

Sponsored content By Stephen Midgley, VP of marketing, Invafresh As VP of marketing at Invafresh, Midgley is recognized as an award-winning industry veteran with a track record of developing world-class marketing teams. With more than 20 years of marketing leadership experience, he is focused on marketing innovative technology that positively impacts people every day – […]

Posted inIndustry Leaders Speak, Home Page Latest News

Retailers’ Response To Shifting Behavior Is Impressive, Ongoing

by Sommer Stockton

Sponsored Content Two words that best describe the CPG and grocery retail industry’s response to changes in consumer behavior are impressive and ongoing. First, it was the pandemic that drove massive overnight changes in the ways consumers shop for grocery retail essentials like food, health and beauty products, personal care and household items, and even […]

Posted inIndustry Leaders Speak

Industry Leaders Speak – Vericast

by Sommer Stockton

Sponsored Content Julie Companey, director, client strategy for Vericast At Vericast, Companey focuses on strategies that combine the world of online and offline media to engage consumers and drive them to act. Companey’s data- and insight-driven approach to helping clients is especially important amid the shifting consumer behavior in today’s environment. She has more than […]