Grocery Industry News: Retail & Supply Chain Updates
Posted inStore News, Corporate Store News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National

Whole Foods Market Investor Reportedly Wants Chain To Consider A Possible Sale

Is Whole Foods Market being primed for a takeover? Perhaps. The Wall Street Journal and CNBC report that activist investor Jana Partners has built a nearly 9 percent stake in the Austin, Texas-based grocery chain and wants the company to “speed up its turnaround efforts while also exploring a possible sale.” “The activist investor has […]

Posted inDeli News, Bakery News, Home Page Latest News, Meat/Seafood/Poultry, National, Perishables, Wholesaler/Distributor News

Harvest And Sherwood Food Distributors Merge

Harvest Food Distributors and Sherwood Food Distributors have merged to form a nationwide protein and perishable food distribution network, servicing independent food retailers, regional and national chains, cruise lines and foodservice distributors from coast to coast. The merger of Harvest Sherwood brings together two family-owned companies to serve as a single, trusted partner for producers and […]

Posted in, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Southwest, Suppliers, Wholesaler/Distributor News

Affiliated Foods CEO Encourages Independents To Try Something New

Out in West Texas, deflation has hit the oil patch as well as the grocery business. In addition, the independent grocer now is being tasked with adjusting its tactics for a new generation of consumers: Millennials. Randy Arceneaux, president and CEO of Affiliated Foods in Amarillo, talked about these challenges and the opportunities they represent during his […]

Posted inEquipment & Technology, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, West, Wholesaler/Distributor News

Software Co. Releases S4Vision For Unified Customers

Software 4 Retail Solutions has released S4Vision for Unified Grocers customers participating in Unified’s “Scan Advantage” store data and analytics program. S4Vision is a self-service business intelligence platform that accumulates and analyzes real-time point-of-sale (POS) transaction data, giving store owners and managers actionable reporting and analytics on their desktop, tablet or smartphone. S4Vision connects store […]

Posted inIndependent Store News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Wholesaler/Distributor News

Supervalu 2017 National Expo Plans Announced

Supervalu has unveiled plans for its fourth annual National Expo, which will be held July 25-27 at the RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minnesota. The event will feature a day of educational seminars and workshops tailored to help independent grocery retailers serve their customers better, as well as access to more than 300 vendors across nearly […]

Posted inStore News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Midwest, Organic Natural

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market Confirms 18 New Stores

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market plans to open a number of new stores over the coming months. The Illinois-based chain currently operates more than 50 stores in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin. Fresh Thyme will open stores on: • April 26 at 2130 E. Kimberly Road in Davenport, Iowa; • […]

Posted inWest, Amazon Fresh, Home Page Latest News, Independent Store News, Industry News, Whole Foods

Two New Stores In The Works For PCC Natural Markets

Seattle-based PCC Natural Markets, the largest community-owned food market in the U.S., has two new stores on the drawing board. The first, in Burien, Washington, is expected to open in early 2018. The approximately 20,000-s.f. unit will be located in Five Corners Shopping Center at 15840 1st Avenue South and bring about 100 jobs to […]

Posted inCenter Store, Corporate Store News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Snacks Brands, Supply Chain News, Wholesaler/Distributor News

McLane Co. Becomes Walmart’s Primary Candy, Tobacco Products Provider

Walmart has renewed its service agreement with McLane Co., a provider of grocery and foodservice supply chain solutions. As part of the extended agreement, McLane will continue to deliver to Walmart stores across the U.S., in addition to becoming the sole provider of candy and tobacco products to the majority of Walmart’s retail locations. In […]

Posted inIndependent Store News, Bakery News, Deli News, Food Service News, Home Page Latest News, Merchandising News, Southwest, Wholesaler/Distributor News

Reasor’s Bakery, Deli Departments Recognized For Excellence

Reasor’s has won two national Excellence in Merchandising awards from Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) for its work in the bakery and deli departments. As Reasor’s wholesaler, AWG recognizes a select group of its retailers annually with the Excellence in Merchandising Awards. AWG currently is home to more than 3,800 independent grocery retailers in more than […]

Posted inCorporate Store News, Executive News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National

Claus Out At Save-A-Lot As Former Lidl Chief Takes Over

Save-A-Lot CEO Eric Claus and Onex, the company’s controlling shareholder, have “mutually agreed to part ways” as the discount chain has appointed former Lidl leader Kenneth McGrath its new chief executive, effective April 21. “We want to thank Eric for his contributions to Save-A-Lot over the past year,” said Matthew Ross, chairman of Save-A-Lot’s board of […]

Posted inWest, Albertsons, Deli News, Food Service News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content, Store News

Northgate Executive: Expect Major Remodels, Expansions

Tom Herman says Northgate Gonzalez Markets has big plans. The chief experience officer for the 41-store Southern California chain reveals that the company intends to undertake “major remodels and expansions” this year. “Our strategy right now is we’re going back into some of our older facilities—either they’re smaller or older and can’t do the kind […]

Posted inFrozen Food, Home Page Latest News, Southwest, Suppliers, Sustainability News

Actor DiCaprio Joins Love The Wild As Investor, Advisor

Boulder, Colorado-based Love The Wild, purveyors of farm-raised, freshly frozen seafood kits, and champions for sustainable aquaculture, has added new investors to round out its previously announced Series A funding round. Joining Aqua-Spark, an investment fund that seeks to address the planet’s health and food security, and existing angel investors were individuals, including Academy-Award winner […]

Posted inStore News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Organic Natural, Southeast

Publix Sets Sights On Growing Its GreenWise Market Stores

Publix Super Markets plans to “reignite” its GreenWise store concept, the company said March 31. The first newly redesigned GreenWise will be located near Florida State University at the southwest corner of Gaines Street and Railroad Avenue in Tallahassee, Florida, and is expected to debut in late 2018. “We are committed to being the retailer […]

Posted inStore News, Albertsons, Amazon Fresh, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Whole Foods

Supermarkets Rank Tops For Customer Experience

Publix, H-E-B and Hannaford deliver the best customer experience in the supermarket industry. That’s according to the 2017 Temkin Experience Ratings, an annual customer experience ranking of companies based on a survey of 10,000 U.S. consumers. This year, supermarkets earned the two highest scores in the entire Ratings. With a score of 84 percent, Publix not […]

Posted inIndependent Store News, Equipment & Technology, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Online Grocery Technology, Southeast

Vowell’s Market Place Launches ‘Shop, Drop & Roll’ Online Shopping Service

Mississippi’s Vowell’s Market Place is adding online shopping at its stores in Forest, Byram and Starkville. The service, named “Shop, Drop & Roll Powered by Rosie” will allow customers to shop online (excluding alcohol and tobacco products) in the stores and have those items available for pickup within three hours. The service launches April 5. […]

Posted in, Amazon Fresh, Equipment & Technology, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Online Grocery Technology, Whole Foods

Who Is Most Likely To Grocery Shop Online?

Although online grocery shoppers can be found across all demographic groups, they are more likely to be younger men, age 18-44, according to a recent report on online grocery shopping by The NPD Group. Amazon Prime members and young adults are other groups more likely to grocery shop online, finds “The Virtual Grocery Store” report. The […]

Posted inMarketing News, Home Page Latest News, Produce News, Southeast, Wholesaler/Distributor News

Giumarra Forecasts Excellent Vidalia Onion Volumes This Spring

Vidalia onion season officially kicks off April 12, according to the Vidalia Onion Committee—and Giumarra Southeast says it is offering promotable volumes of the summer favorite, packaged in the Nature’s Partner brand. Shipments will begin the third week of April and continue through the end of July. “Growing conditions in South Georgia have led to […]

Posted inGrocery News, Amazon Fresh, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Store News, Whole Foods

Key Trends Shaping The Future Of Grocery Retailing

The U.S. food retailing business has never been more competitive, and there are a number of trends putting pressure on food retailers of all stripes—from supermarkets whose bread and butter is groceries to supercenters and drugstores for which food is a smaller but still crucial part of the product mix. That’s according to “The Future of […]

Posted inBakery News, Deli News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Packaging News, Perishables, Produce News, Shelby Content, Store News, Suppliers, Supply Chain News, Wholesaler/Distributor News

Five Steps To Cut Spoilage And Reduce Losses

by Michael Falck/co-founder and U.S. president, RELEX Solutions Special to The Shelby Report According to a 2016 report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, shrink loss in fresh fruit, vegetables and meat items continues to increase despite advances in food technologies. In the same report, the USDA found that in 2011-12, the average loss estimate […]

Posted inEquipment & Technology, Amazon Fresh, Home Page Latest News, Independent Store News, National, Online Grocery Technology, Shelby Content, Shelby Signature Content, The Independent Perspective, Whole Foods

Rosie To Serve As First Online Grocery Shopping Platform For Independents To Accept EBT/SNAP Payments

by Lorrie Griffith/editor-in-chief Independent grocers that use e-commerce provider Rosie’s app soon will be able to allow their shoppers to shop online and pay for SNAP-eligible items at-store using their EBT benefits. Jon Ambrose, co-founder and COO of Rosie, told The Shelby Report at his company’s booth at the recent NGA Show that Rosie has […]