Grocery Industry News: Retail & Supply Chain Updates
Posted inFood Service News, Grocery Store Layout, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Southeast, Store News

Lowes Foods To Open Forest Acres, South Carolina, Store On July 18

Lowes Foods, a family-owned, Carolinas-based grocer, will open a new store in Forest Acres, South Carolina, on July 18 at 8 a.m. Located at 4711 Forest Drive, the 51,500-s.f. store will employ approximately 150 people and will feature Lowes Foods Originals, including Smokehouse, Pick & Prep and The Beer Den. “We’ve received an incredible welcome to […]

Posted inFood City, Corporate Store News, Deli News, Grocery News, Grocery Store Layout, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Store News

Food City Celebrates Phoenix Store’s Grand Reopening This Week

Shoppers who frequent the Food City location at 7th Avenue and Southern in south Phoenix, Arizona, can join in the store’s weeklong grand reopening celebration from July 4 through July 11. After undergoing a major remodel, the grocery store chain will deliver live mariachi music, giveaways, and more as it introduces new and expanded features to […]

Posted inGrocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Meat/Seafood/Poultry, National, Perishables, Wholesaler/Distributor News

Bergmann Leaves Supervalu West To Join Harvest/Sherwood

Leon Bergmann, who has served as president of West Region Wholesale for Supervalu since August 2017, has resigned to become CEO of Harvest Food Distributors/Sherwood Food Distributors, The Shelby Report has learned. Bergmann had joined Unified Grocers, which was bought by Supervalu in summer 2017, in December 2012 as SVP of sales. In addition to […]

Posted inPackaging News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Northeast, Sustainability News

NJFC Applauds New Jersey’s Single-Use Bag Reduction Legislation

The New Jersey Food Council (NJFC) is voicing its support for the New Jersey legislature after it passed a bill that would reduce the use of single-use plastic and paper shopping bags. The NJFC is hopeful that New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy will sign the bill. Under the plan, retailers would charge a five-cent fee […]

Posted inH-E-B, Beverage News, Corporate Store News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Online Grocery Technology, Southwest, Store News, Supply Chain News

H-E-B Now Delivering Beer And Wine In Under An Hour Through Favor

Favor, an Austin, Texas-based on-demand delivery company acquired by H-E-B in February, is now offering beer and wine delivery throughout Texas, exclusively from H-E-B stores. Favor rolled out its new service on June 29 in more than 30 cities, offering free delivery on beer and wine orders this summer through Labor Day. The new service […]

Posted inPackaging News, Association News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Organic Natural

Nature’s Path Leaves Organic Trade Association In Protest

Organic breakfast company Nature’s Path Foods today resigned from the Organic Trade Association (OTA) citing concern that the OTA is “shifting its commitment from supporting and representing the core principles of the organic food movement, to begin pushing a non-organic agenda which threatens the future of organic.” Nature’s Path says recent actions by the OTA […]

Posted in, Association News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Midwest, Produce News

Produce Innovation Award Winners Recognized At United Fresh 2018

Seven Produce Innovation Award winners were recognized at United Fresh 2018 in Chicago in late June. This year’s honorees were selected by show attendees from a total of 36 contestants across seven categories: Best New Food Safety Solution; Best New Fruit Product; Best New Packaging; Best New Packing/Processing Equipment; Best New Vegetable Product; and two […]

Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Specialty, Store News

99 Ranch Market To Begin Accepting Alipay Mobile Wallet

99 Ranch Market, one of the largest Asian supermarket chains in the U.S., is partnering with Alipay to enable customers to pay for items in-store using Alipay’s Mobile Wallet. Operated by Ant Financial Services Group, Alipay is China’s leading digital payment platform and the primary means of online and mobile payment for Chinese consumers.  Beginning July 1, […]

Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Association News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, West

Retailers Say Customer Service Will Suffer Under California Privacy Law

The National Retail Federation is calling new state privacy legislation signed into law in California yesterday “deeply flawed” and said customer service could be severely hampered if the legislature fails to address retailers’ concerns before the measure takes effect in 2020. The law prohibits retailers from treating customers who opt out of data sharing any […]

Posted inPackaging News, Frozen Food, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, New Products, Suppliers, Sustainability News, West

Dream Pops Selects Vericool As Its Sustainable Packaging Partner

Vericool, maker of Vericoolers, a compostable insulation and recyclable cold-chain packaging solution, has entered into a multi-year sustainable packaging partnership with Dream Pops, maker of direct-to-consumer, vegan, gluten-free frozen confections. “Vericool is thrilled to announce our sustainable packaging partnership with Dream Pops, a company that shares our passion for conscientious consumer innovation,” said Darrell Jobe, […]

Posted inHealth & Wellness, Corporate Store News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Store News, West

Rite Aid Pharmacists In Idaho Soon Will Be Able To Prescribe Medications

Starting Sunday, July 1, Rite Aid pharmacists at all locations in Idaho will be able to prescribe medications to treat select, common conditions under the Pharmacist Prescriptive Authority Rule Docket 27-0104-1701, which was promoted by the Idaho State Board of Pharmacy. The rule, which was approved by the Idaho legislature, enables pharmacists to prescribe medications […]

Posted in, Home Page Latest News, Independent Store News, Industry News, Southeast, Store News

Wegmans, Publix Among Fortune’s Best Workplaces For Millennials

Wegmans and Publix have once again been recognized by Fortune Magazine as two of the best workplaces for Millennials. Millennials, those born between 1981 and 1998, make up about 58 percent of Wegman’s workforce and 45 percent of Publix’s workforce. “Our associates are the heart of our company,” said Publix President and CEO Todd Jones. “We work […]

Posted in, Association News, Corporate Store News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Produce News, Store News, Suppliers, Supply Chain News

Kroger’s New Payment Policy A Cause For Concern For Produce Industry

Kroger recently sent out a letter to produce shippers outlining its new 90-day standardized payment policy, which takes effect Aug. 1, 2018. According to a number of produce industry organizations, the new policy conflicts with protection rights under the PACA Trust, and agreeing to any extension beyond 30 days automatically forces produce suppliers to waive their PACA […]

Posted inPackaging News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Marketing News, Northeast, Online Grocery Technology, Suppliers

Eight O’Clock Coffee Now Comes With A Digital Escape Room Game

Eight O’Clock Coffee is releasing “The Great Coffee Break,” a digital escape room game that consumers can play for the chance to win a year of free groceries. The Great Coffee Break is the first augmented reality (AR) digital game designed by Escape the Room and can be launched by scanning any Eight O’Clock Coffee […]

Posted inRecommended Reading, Corporate Store News, Grocery Store Layout, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Shelby Content, Southeast, Store News

Recommended: Southeastern Grocers To Upgrade 100 Stores This Year

Now that Southeastern Grocers successfully reorganized its finances in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy process, customers will see the supermarket operator ramp up its pace of store upgrades, CEO Anthony Hucker said Thursday. “We’re now able to move with a much more powerful velocity,” Hucker said in an interview after the company unveiled a newly remodeled […]

Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Amazon Fresh, Corporate Store News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Organic Natural, Specialty, Store News, Supply Chain News, Whole Foods

Amazon Expands Whole Foods Delivery To Chicago, Houston, Others

Amazon today launched grocery delivery from Whole Foods Market stores through Prime Now in Chicago, Houston, Indianapolis, Minneapolis and San Antonio. Prime members in those cities now can shop through Prime Now for items including fresh produce, meat and seafood, everyday staples and other locally sourced items from Whole Foods Market. Select alcohol is also […]

Posted inAssociation News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News

Supreme Court Rules In Amex’s Favor In Credit Card Fee Case

In a five to four ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court yesterday backed American Express and its rules prohibiting retailers from steering customers to use other, less expensive credit cards. The response from retail organizations was swift, with the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) saying it was “disappointed” with the ruling and the National Retail Federation calling […]

Posted inFood Service News, Amazon Fresh, Corporate Store News, Grocery News, Grocery Store Layout, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Organic Natural, Southeast, Specialty, Store News, Whole Foods

Whole Foods Opens in Charlotte, North Carolina; Plans New Tampa, Florida, Store

Whole Foods Market opened a new store in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, on June 13 at 400 East Stonewall Street, located at the Stonewall Station LYNX light rail stop. “We’re excited to join Uptown Charlotte’s vibrant community with the opening of our new Whole Foods Market in the heart of the booming financial and cultural […]

Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Southwest, Supply Chain News, Sustainability News

Denver Tech Exec Joins FoodMaven As Board Member, Investor As Company Expands

Nancy Phillips, executive chair of the board at Flexential, a provider of hybrid IT data center solutions, has joined FoodMaven, a tech-enabled marketplace that captures food otherwise lost in the U.S. food system, as a member of the board of directors and investor. Phillips, a longtime leader in Denver’s tech industry, co-founded ViaWest, which was acquired […]

Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Association News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National

FMI: Supreme Court Sales Tax Decision Levels Competition In Food Retail

In a 5-4 decision in the case of South Dakota v. Wayfair, the Supreme Court has voted to overturn a 1992 ruling (Quill Corp. v. North Dakota) that prevented states from collecting sales tax on remote transactions unless the taxed company has a physical presence in the state. Quill was handed down in the days when the internet was […]