Boone, N.C.-based ECRS has released CATAPULT Fuel, a fuel management system that integrates operations into the company’s CATAPULT point-of-sale platform. The system allows independent retailers to manage fuel operations through CATAPULT Web Office, creating a single unified platform for store and fuel management. The release marks a departure from complex fuel software systems that require […]
Category: Industry News
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Executive News, News, Northeast
Grocery TV Adds 3 Execs As In-Store Retail Media Accelerates
Grocery TV has appointed Neil Murphy as SVP of retail partnerships, Steve Sapp as SVP of media partnerships and Chris Lee as chief technology officer, the New York-based in-store retail media platform announced Jan. 28. The leadership hires arrive as Grocery TV has grown its retailer-owned network 33 percent over the past year, to more […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Amazon Fresh, Finance News, National, News, Whole Foods
Amazon To Close Go and Fresh Stores, Open 100+ Whole Foods Locations
Amazon is closing all its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh stores to focus on online grocery delivery and Whole Foods Market expansion, with various locations converting to Whole Foods stores. In addition, the Seattle-based company plans to open more than 100 new Whole Foods Market stores over the next few years and will expand same-day […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Finance News, Foodtown, News, Northeast
Instacart Expands ARS Partnership With Omnichannel Technologies
Instacart has expanded its partnership with Allegiance Retail Services to deploy omnichannel retail technologies across ARS’s network of more than 125 independently-owned supermarkets in the Northeast. The expansion includes the introduction of Instacart’s AI-powered Caper Carts at select Foodtown stores, alongside new capabilities designed to unify Allegiance’s digital, loyalty and in-store experiences. Storefront Pro – […]
Posted inCenter Store, Finance News, National, News
Violet Foods Acquires Muir Glen Organic Tomato Brand From General Mills
Violet Foods, a portfolio company of Amphora Equity Partners, has acquired the Muir Glen brand of organic tomato products from General Mills Inc. (NYSE: GIS). Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition marks a significant expansion for Williamstown, New Jersey-based Violet Foods, which owns a portfolio of brands, including Sclafani, Fattoria Fresca […]
Posted inC-Store News, Grocery Research, National, News
U.S. Convenience Store Count At 151K, Down From Last Year
There are 151,975 convenience stores in the United States, a slight decrease of 280 stores (0.2 percent) compared to the year prior, according to the 2026 NACS/NIQ TDLinx Convenience Industry Store Count. While the overall store count dipped, the number of convenience stores selling fuel increased by 768 stores (0.6 percent) to 122,620, the highest […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Associated Food Stores, Finance News, News, West
Dick’s Market Featured In Nationwide Film “STANDOUT”
Dick’s Market in Centerville, Utah, served as a filming location for “STANDOUT: The Ben Kjar Story,” a feature film that opened Jan. 23 in theaters nationwide and won the 2025 Slamdance Film Festival. The film chronicles the life of Ben Kjar, a Utah native born with Crouzon syndrome who became a three-time state wrestling champion, […]
Posted inProduce News, Marketing News, News, Northeast
Keystone Fruit Marketing Promotes Gideon To Director Of Sales
Greencastle, Pennsylvania-based Keystone Fruit Marketing, a division of Progressive Produce, has promoted Matthew Gideon to director of sales. Gideon has been with Keystone since 2009, playing a key role in supporting the division’s growth and strengthening its year-round sweet onion program. In his new role, Gideon will be responsible for all aspects of sales for […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Beverage News, National, News
Swiftly, ExtraMile Launch Digital Alcohol Cashback Across 1.1K Stores
Swiftly is working with ExtraMile Convenience Stores to integrate the tech firm’s Alcohol Cashback program into the ExtraMile, Chevron and Texaco mobile apps and combined rewards program. The launch introduces a digital savings experience on beer, wine and spirits for rewards members across more than 1,100 ExtraMile locations nationwide. The collaboration comes as value-driven incentives […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Finance News, News, Southeast
ECRS Launches AI-Powered Chat Tool For Retail Data Analysis
ECRS has released Chat with Cognition, an artificial intelligence-driven insight and summarization tool built into its CATAPULT Cognition cloud-based platform. The new capability allows retailers to converse with their operational data, receive automated insights and streamline decision-making without requiring specialized analytics expertise. Designed for independent grocers, natural and organic retailers, food co-ops and convenience operators, […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Grocery Research, National, News
Online Grocery Sales Surge 32% To Record $12.7B In December
U.S. online grocery sales surged 32 percent year over year in December to a record $12.7 billion, according to the latest Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopper Survey. The record performance reflects higher order frequency, increased spending rates and a larger user base than December 2024. Online share of total grocery spending reached 19 percent, the […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Association News, National, News
Swish Wins Fifth Annual FMItech Pitch Competition
Swish was crowned the winner of the fifth annual FMItech Pitch Competition Jan. 22 during the FMI Midwinter Executive Conference in Chula Vista, California. The technology company powers targeted, automated programmatic sampling by placing full-size products into consumers’ online orders. Twenty-two contestants submitted nominations, which were evaluated by a panel of judges from the food […]
Posted inPrivate Label Brands, Finance News, National, News, UNFI
UNFI Adds 50 Private Label Products Focused On Wellness, Snacking Trends
UNFI is launching nearly 50 new private brand products this month at its Spring and Summer Selling Shows in Long Beach, California, and Orlando Florida, targeting emerging consumer preferences around wellness, snacking and value. The products span the company’s Brands+ portfolio, which includes eight core brands and more than 4,400 SKUs. The launches come as […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Finance News, Gelson's, News, West
Gelson’s To Open Small-Format Store In Toluca Lake, CA
The 10,000-square-foot small-format store Gelson’s will open Jan. 28 at Riverside Drive and Mariota Avenue in Toluca Lake, California, will serve as the centerpiece of a mixed-use development that includes 37 studio apartments. Toluca Lake is known for its tree-lined streets, historic homes and proximity to entertainment landmarks like Warner Bros. Studios. The area blends old Hollywood […]
Posted inAssociation News, Finance News, Market Profile, News, West
Hawaii Grocery Industry Adapts During Uncertain Times, Mounting Challenges
The grocery industry in Hawaii is facing mounting challenges as food insecurity remains high and transportation costs continue to climb. Approximately 30 percent of Hawaii’s residents report some level of food insecurity, according to Alexis Chapman, director of operations for the Hawaii Food Industry Association in Honolulu. The situation is even more dire in certain […]
Posted inGrocery Store Equipment, Association News, Merchandising News, News, Northeast
MRA: Pricing Ban Would Raise Costs For Maryland Shoppers
The Maryland Retailers Alliance (MRA) is opposing legislation that would prohibit “surveillance pricing,” calling it based on misconceptions about how pricing actually works in grocery stores and retail more broadly. Retailers do not set prices based on consumer personal data, identity or purchasing history, the trade association said Jan. 22. Grocery shelf prices are the […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Finance News, National, News
Mars Receives Top Honors On Glassdoor’s Best Places Lists
Mars Inc. earned the top spot on Glassdoor’s inaugural Best Places to Work in Manufacturing and Energy list and ranked sixth on the job search and career community’s 2026 Best Places to Work list, the company announced Jan. 21. The awards are determined based on voluntary, anonymous feedback from employees on Glassdoor. McLean, Virginia-based Mars […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Finance News, National, News
Smithfield Foods To Acquire Nathan’s Famous For $450M
Smithfield Foods has entered into a merger agreement to acquire Nathan’s Famous Inc. for $102 per share in cash, representing an enterprise value of about $450 million. The transaction will secure Smithfield’s rights to the all-beef hot dog brand into perpetuity. The company has held an exclusive license from Nathan’s Famous since March 2014 to […]
Posted inGrocery Research, Finance News, National, News
Report: Traditional Grocers Losing Shoppers As Fragmentation Accelerates
Traditional grocers are losing their most valuable shoppers in a shift that appears permanent, according to new data from AlixPartners released Jan. 21. Fewer than half of consumers in the survey — 49 percent — say they spent most of their grocery budget at traditional grocers like Kroger, Albertsons, H-E-B and Wegmans in 2025, down […]
Posted inNews, Finance News, Northeast, Wakefern
Wakefern Supermarket Banners To Host Job Fairs Jan. 31
Wakefern Food Corp. supermarket banners ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market are holding a series of walk-in hiring fairs Jan. 31. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., participating stores across New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts and Rhode Island will host in-store recruitment events for full-time, […]