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 inOnline Grocery Technology, Midwest, News

ECRS Celebrates Innovation, Community At Ignite 2025

ECRS is celebrating the success of its annual Ignite Retail Success Conference, where more than 300 independent retailers, 53 ECRS staff and some 20 industry partners gathered to explore the future of retail technology, connect with peers and experience the CATAPULT community. This year’s event in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was filled with immersive learning, keynotes and […]

Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Ahold Delhaize, National, News

Ahold Delhaize USA Enhances Made-To-Order Capabilities With FoodStorm

Ahold Delhaize USA has expanded its partnership with Instacart to leverage the FoodStorm order management system. The technology will enable participating Ahold Delhaize USA brands to elevate the shopping experience when customers request made-to-order items like fresh bakery platters, customizable deli meat and cheese trays, dessert flights, floral arrangements and balloons. The FoodStorm solution is […]

Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Merchant Distributors, National, News

MDI, Instacart Offer E-Commerce Solutions For Independent Grocers

Merchants Distributors LLC (MDI) has begun a partnership with Instacart to offer e-commerce solutions to the wholesale grocery distributor’s network of independent stores. Participating MDI grocers are joining the Instacart app to offer customers same-day delivery and enabling Storefront Pro, Instacart’s end-to-end fully-customizable e-commerce solution built specifically for grocers. “We’ve long admired MDI and how, for over […]

How To Turn Grocery E-Commerce Into A Competitive Advantage

The grocery industry is undergoing a major digital shift. More than 90 percent of customers now buy both online and in-store, and online sales of consumer packaged goods are growing nearly five times faster than in-store sales. According to FMI/NIQ projections, U.S. online grocery sales will reach $388 billion by 2027 — outpacing previous forecasts […]

Posted inMarketing News, Association News, National, News

FMI Report: Shoppers Stick To Routines, Prioritize ‘Eating Well’ This Fall

Nearly half of U.S. grocery shoppers (44 percent) embrace a weekly mealtime tradition, and more Americans are building new eating routines this fall, according to a new report from FMI – The Food Industry Association. FMI’s “U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends: New Routines” also finds 36 percent of shoppers eat dinner at home with others every […]

Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, News, Southwest, Vallarta Supermarkets

Vallarta Supermarkets Selects Logile Solutions For Fresh Food Production

Vallarta Supermarkets has implemented Logile Inc.’s Fresh Item Management suite, helping improve forecasting accuracy and providing real-time insights to better align production with true demand. As one of the first retailers to adopt Logile’s fresh production technology, the California-based grocer played an instrumental role in shaping and refining the solutions to meet the needs of a […]

Posted inGrocery Store Equipment, Marketing News, News, U.R.M. Stores, West

URM, Superfridge Partner To Transform In-Store Promotions

URM Stores has begun a marketing agreement with Superfridge, an in-store media and promotions platform for retailers and CPG brands. Serving a mix of independents and chains such as Rosauers, Yoke’s Fresh Markets, Super 1 Foods and Harvest Foods, URM will deploy more than 100 Superfridge dual-temperature coolers with digital displays across member-owner grocery stores […]