Posted inNational, Finance News, News, Store News

LocalDutch Brings Urban Farm Shop Model To U.S.

LocalDutch, a Netherlands-based agri-tech and food retail company, has announced plans to roll out its Urban Farm Shop concept in the United States and other markets. The model integrates on-site controlled-environment food production with direct-to-consumer retail and local delivery in a single location. The company, headquartered in The Hague, calls the concept the “LocalDutch Shop” […]

Posted inProduce News, Finance News, Independent Store News, News, Northeast

EmpowerFresh Enhances Produce Operations At Karns Quality Foods

EmpowerFresh has partnered with Karns Quality Foods, a 10-store family-owned grocer in central Pennsylvania, to enhance produce operations through artificial intelligence-powered ordering and inventory management. Founded in 1959, Karns Quality Foods has been recognized for its meat and produce departments. The partnership will leverage EmpowerFresh’s AI-driven forecasting and data analytics to help the grocer reduce […]

Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Feature, Finance News, News, West

Instacart Executive Touts Benefits Of Storefront Pro E-Commerce Platform

The Shelby Report of the West recently visited with Merrick Rosner, Instacart’s head of revenue and solution sales, independent grocery, to learn more about the company’s e-commerce platform Storefront Pro. What is involved in training employees on how to use e-commerce platforms like Storefront Pro? Storefront Pro gives grocers of all sizes the ability to […]

Posted inCorporate Store News, Finance News, Food Lion, News, Southeast

Food Lion Names Barton 2025 Store Manager Of The Year

Amelia Barton, store manager of the Food Lion at 2201 W. WT Harris Blvd. in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been named the grocer’s 2025 Ralph W. Ketner Store Manager Excellence Award winner. Barton was selected from more than 1,100 store managers across the retailer’s 10-state operating area. Named after one of Food Lion’s founders, the […]

Posted inExecutive News, Finance News, Midwest, News, The Kroger Co.

Kroger Appoints Foran As CEO, Ends Interim Leadership

The Kroger Co. has appointed Greg Foran as CEO, effective immediately, ending Ron Sargent’s tenure as interim CEO that began in March 2025. Foran, who brings more than 40 years of experience leading large consumer businesses, will also join Kroger’s board of directors. The Cincinnati-based grocer made the announcement Feb. 9, following an extensive search […]

Posted inIndependent Store News, Anniversary Issues, Finance News, News, Retailer of the Year, Vallarta Supermarkets, West

Vallarta Moving To Broader Appeal – ‘We’ve Got To Give Everybody Something’

In 1985, the Gonzalez family opened a small market in Van Nuys, California, called Carnicería Vallarta. The family focused on selling traditional cuts of meats popular in their native Mexico. They worked hard to build a name for themselves by offering high-quality authentic products, providing a high level of customer service and treating employees as […]

Posted inCorporate Store News, Finance News, Ingles Markets, News, Southeast

Ingles Markets Reports 6.6% Sales Increase In Annual Report

Ingles Markets reported net sales of $1.37 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 ended Dec. 27, a 6.6 percent increase compared with $1.29 billion for the same period last year, the Asheville, North Carolina-based grocer announced Feb. 5. Net income totaled $28.1 million for the first quarter compared with $16.6 million for the […]

Posted inGrocery Store Equipment, Association News, Finance News, News, Northeast

PFMA Applauds PA House Committee Vote On Swipe Fee Relief Bill

The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association praised the Pennsylvania House Finance Committee for advancing House Bill 2090, legislation that would stop credit card companies from charging swipe fees on commonwealth sales tax. HB 2090 addresses an imbalance in the credit card marketplace where two payment networks control more than 80 percent of the market and impose […]