After three years of contraction, online grocery sales are growing again, but the real economic opportunity for retailers lies in turning digital demand into valuable in-store experiences, according to a new study from SymphonyAI. The findings highlight a structural shift in grocery e-commerce behavior and point to a new retail model powered by artificial intelligence. […]
Category: Industry News
Posted inGrocery Research, National, News
Grubhub Report Calls 2025 The ‘Year Of Foodmaxxing’
Grubhub’s latest “2025 Delivered Trend Report” shows that U.S. consumers embraced what the company describes as the Foodmaxxing Era in 2025, a shift in ordering behavior that emphasizes meals, snacks, drinks and groceries designed for maximum nutritional value, functional benefit and visual appeal for social sharing. The annual report analyzes millions of orders placed across […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, News, Publix Super Markets, Southeast, Sustainability News
Publix Supports Coral Restoration Through Good Together Campaign
Publix Super Markets is expanding its environmental philanthropy by supporting coral restoration efforts in the Florida Keys, using donations from its Good Together campaign to install a field nursery with conservation partner FORCE BLUE. The project consists of 25 coral trees – tree-like underwater structures anchored to the ocean floor with floats – that provide […]
Posted inProduce News, Marketing News, News, West
Cuties Launches New Mandarin Marketing Campaign
Pasadena, California-based Sun Pacific has launched a new marketing campaign for its Cuties brand as the company looks to build on momentum in the mandarin category heading into the season. The campaign, titled “Irresistibly Cute,” highlights Cuties’ attributes – sweetness, convenience and family appeal – with a playful tone. Cuties was the first mandarin brand […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Anniversary Issues, Finance News, News, Rouses Market, Southeast, Special Section
Rouses Chairman: ‘We’ll Keep Trying To Get Better Forever’
As Rouses Markets celebrates its 65th anniversary, Chairman Donald Rouse Sr. reflects on the roots of the family-owned company and looks to the future with the third generation leading the way. Rouse said his father, Anthony J. Rouse Sr., set the standard for the company with his humility and strong work ethic. “He would never […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Anniversary Issues, Finance News, News, Rouses Market, Southeast, Special Section
Third-Generation Rouses CEO: ‘We’re The No. 1 Grocer’ Along Gulf Coast
For Donny Rouse, president and CEO of Rouses Markets, the story of the company’s past and its vision for the future always come back to family, community and the Gulf Coast culture that shaped them both. “It first starts with my grandfather and his passion and energy for the business and willing to do anything […]
Posted inGrocery Research, National, News
PS Seasoning Forecasts Six Consumer Flavor Trends For 2026
PS Seasoning has released its annual forecast of consumer-driven flavor trends expected to shape 2026 as consumers head into the new year with tighter budgets, rising interest in high-protein meals and an increased focus on ingredients. The company’s analysis draws on extensive R&D testing, category performance data, flavor-tracking tools and emerging culinary signals to identify […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Association News, Finance News, National, News
Winter Holidays Drive Chocolate, Candy Sales As Seasonal Traditions Endure
The winter holiday season remains the most important sales period of the year for chocolate and candy, driven by strong consumer traditions around gifts, entertaining and everyday indulgence, according to new data and seasonal insights from the National Confectioners Association (NCA). NCA research shows that 95 percent of Americans celebrate with chocolate and candy across […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Feature, Giant Food, News, Northeast
Giant Food, Upside Aim To Drive Incremental Sales Through Cash-back Offers
Giant Food is launching a partnership with Upside, a cash-back marketplace platform, to reach new shoppers and recapture market share as customers increasingly spread their grocery spending across multiple retailers. The collaboration pairs the mid-Atlantic’s largest grocer by market share with a Washington, D.C.-based technology company that delivers personalized cash-back offers designed to drive incremental […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Northeast
Weis Markets Deploying VoCoVo Voice Communication Technology Across Stores
Weis Markets will implement VoCoVo’s voice communication technology across its stores following a successful pilot program. The rollout will equip employees at stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, West Virginia and Virginia with VoCoVo’s Series 5 Pro Headsets, call points and keypads for instant communication. The system is expected to improve responsiveness […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, National, News, Supply Chain News
Mowi ASA Begins Feed Partnership To Lower Costs
Mowi ASA, a producer of farm-raised Atlantic salmon, has entered into a strategic partnership with Skretting/Nutreco in which Mowi will produce feed based on Skretting’s formulations. The partnership is expected to deliver more than $58 million in annualized net cost savings through improvements in feed formulation, procurement and logistics. “Mowi and Skretting are a great […]
Posted inGrocery Research, National, News, Nonfood Items
Survey: Home, Housewares At Heart Of Consumers’ Plans In 2026
New International Housewares Association (IHA) research reveals that home and housewares products are increasingly central to how consumers plan to entertain and celebrate key life moments in 2026, according to the 2026 IHA Occasions and At-Home Entertaining Surveys released this week. The annual surveys — conducted for IHA by Morning Consult — provide detailed insights […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Finance News, National, News
RELEX Solutions Acquires Ida To Strengthen Fresh Store Ordering Capabilities
RELEX Solutions, a provider of unified artificial intelligence-driven supply chain and retail planning software, has acquired Ida, a Paris-based SaaS developer of AI-native fresh replenishment and store ordering optimization technology. The acquisition enhances RELEX’s platform with new capabilities aimed at improving fresh and ultra-fresh category planning for grocery retailers worldwide. Ida’s software focuses on replenishment […]
Posted inGrocery Store Equipment, Association News, National, News
FMI, Coalition Ask Federal Reserve To Finalize Debit Card Swipe Fee Reform
FMI – The Food Industry Association joined a coalition of merchant industry organizations representing Main Street businesses nationwide in urging the Federal Reserve to move forward and finalize its long-pending debit card swipe fee reform rule. The rule stems from the Durbin Amendment, enacted in 2010, which directed the Fed to ensure debit card interchange […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, National, News
DoorDash Brings Grocery Shopping Into ChatGPT With Integrated App
DoorDash has announced a new grocery shopping app integrated into ChatGPT that lets customers turn recipes into grocery orders, with delivery from local stores in potentially an hour. The partnership with OpenAI represents an expansion of DoorDash’s services into artificial intelligence-enabled retail commerce. According to DoorDash, more customers increasingly turn to ChatGPT for recipes, meal […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Anniversary Issues, Finance News, Midwest, News, Special Section
Busch’s Fresh Food Market Honors Its Roots – Quality, Partners, Community
As Busch’s Fresh Food Market enters its next 50 years, the family-owned Michigan grocer is strengthening its foundation through strategic investment in people, technology and community. The company’s mission remains clear: deliver an exceptional fresh food experience while staying true to the neighborhood-focused culture that has defined Busch’s for generations. The momentum at Busch’s is […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Finance News, National, News, The Kroger Co.
Looma Expands Retail Media Network Into 600 Kroger Stores
Looma, an in-store retail media platform, has raised $13 million in new capital to accelerate expansion of its digital media network, including a rollout into nearly 600 Kroger stores nationwide. The funding includes $10 million in Series B investment led by Staley Capital and a $3 million credit facility from Silicon Valley Bank, a division […]
Posted inExecutive News, Center Store, Finance News, Midwest, News
Kraft Heinz Names Cahillane CEO
Steve Cahillane has been named CEO of The Kraft Heinz Co., effective Jan. 1., where he also will join the company’s board of directors and serve as CEO of Global Taste Elevation Co. following Kraft’s separation into two companies. To ensure a transition, Carlos Abrams-Rivera will step down Jan. 1 and serve as an advisor […]
Posted inGrocery Research, National, News
Swiftly Survey Finds Most Shoppers Trust Local Grocers Over National Giants
A new consumer study released by retail technology provider Swiftly shows a strong trust advantage for neighborhood grocery stores over national competitors, suggesting a potential competitive edge for independent and regional grocers amid ongoing affordability pressures. The True Cost of a Grocery Shop 2025 survey, conducted online among more than 1,400 U.S. grocery shoppers, found […]
Posted inNews, CERTCO Inc., Executive News, Finance News, National
Certco President, CEO Becomes First Woman To Lead ROFDA Board
Amy Niemetscheck, president and CEO of Wisconsin-based Certco Inc., was recently named the first chairwomen of the Retailer Owned Food Distributors and Associates Board of Directors (ROFDA). “Taking on the role as the first female as chair of ROFDA at the Fall 2025 Conference was a tremendous honor,” Niemetscheck said. “It is a privilege to […]