San Francisco-based Instacart has launched Ask Instacart, an AI-powered search tool designed to assist with customers’ grocery shopping questions by offering personalized recommendations throughout the shopping experience. By using the language understanding capabilities of OpenAI’s ChatGPT API and Instacart’s own AI models and catalog data that spans more than a billion shoppable items across more than […]
Category: Industry News
Posted inPackaging News, Southwest, Sustainability News
Walmart Introduces Sustainable, Waste-Reducing Options
Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart has announced new sustainability steps to reduce the amount of packaging waste associated with online orders. This includes moving from plastic to recyclable paper mailers, right-sizing cardboard box packaging, giving customers the option to consolidate shipping on e-commerce orders, opting out of single-use plastic bags for online pickup orders and last mile delivery […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Aldi, Midwest
Aldi Introduces Instacart-Powered Virtual Convenience Store
Batavia, Illinois-based Aldi has partnered with Instacart to introduce Aldi Express, a virtual convenience store. From convenience items such as prepared foods, snacks and drinks to grocery staples and household essentials, Aldi Express gives customers access to about 2,000 popular ALDI items, delivered in as fast as 30-minutes. Aldi Express convenience delivery is available to […]
Posted inIndustry Leaders Speak, National, Online Grocery Technology
Five Issues Omnichannel Grocers Need To Address This Year
Sponsored content By Mark Fairhurst, VP of marketing, Mercatus Technologies Inc. As VP of marketing at Mercatus, Fairhurst leads the development of the company’s overall marketing and brand strategy and related programs. He’s also co-host on “The Digital Grocer” podcast and brings to the show a marketer’s perspective on the rapidly evolving grocery tech landscape. […]
Posted inPackaging News, Albertsons, Private Label Brands, West
Albertsons Consolidates Product Lines To Create Signature Select
Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons Cos. Inc. will rebrand its Signature Farms, Signature Care and Signature Cafe products under one master brand, Signature Select, which features a refreshed logo, packaging and a marketing campaign. The transition to Signature Select is underway across stores including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco and Shaw’s and is expected to be complete in early […]
Posted inSustainability News, Northeast
Tops ‘Totes For Change’ Aids Local Charities Through Donations
More than three years ago, Williamsville, New York-based Tops launched its Tops Totes for Change program. The program encourages shoppers to purchase a reusable bag with a charity design for $2.69 with $1 of the proceeds being donated to five local community organizations. Since its inception, Tops has raised $519,846 for area charities. These bags […]
Posted inPackaging News, Northeast
Dannon Light + Fit Introduces New Packaging, Rebrand
White Plains, New York-based Dannon Light + Fit has introduced a new “fierce” brand restage featuring an improved look, new product innovations and an ad campaign that flips traditional notions that women should crave less. As part of this new look and integrated campaign, Light + Fit is releasing two new commercials that follow a heroine […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Grocery Store Layout, Southwest
Natural Grocers To Hold Grand Reopening June 8 In Amarillo, TX
Natural Grocers has announced the plans to relocate a store to a renovated and larger space in Amarillo, Texas. The store at 7400 SW 34th Ave. will close at 5:30 p.m. on June 5 and will reopen on June 8 at 7441 Hillside Road. The official ribbon-cutting and donation ceremony with community leaders will take place at 8:20 a.m. […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, West
New Seasons Market To Accept EBT SNAP Through Instacart
Portland, Oregon-based New Seasons Market is accepting Electronic Benefits Transfer Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program for same-day delivery and pickup through Instacart. With this program, EBT SNAP participants will be able to use the benefits to access groceries online for delivery or pickup from New Seasons Markets’ 18 locations across metro Portland. The program will launch at the […]
Posted inMerchandising News, National
Survey Finds Shoppers Expand Perception Of Value Beyond Price
The latest survey of grocery shoppers by FMI – The Food Industry Association for its “U.S. Grocery Shopping Trends 2023” series reveals that the meaning of “good value” is becoming more complex as consumers navigate grocery aisles. The analysis revealed several common considerations for how shoppers think about value, both for the food and beverages they buy […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, West
The Save Mart Companies Launches Retail Media Network
The Save Mart Companies is broadening its digital footprint by launching a retail media network with an expanded strategic partnership with Swiftly, a retail technology company that delivers omnichannel tools for enterprise retailers. The deepened partnership will accelerate and enhance The Save Mart Companies’ CPG relationships, creating advertising opportunities for supplier partners and benefiting shoppers with […]
Posted inGrocery Store Equipment, Southeast
How Long’s Pic Pac Adapted, Thrived In Pandemic With AppCard
Sponsored content The pandemic introduced challenges for many small businesses, but Long’s Pic Pac in Pineville, Kentucky, has managed to thrive despite difficult circumstances. The store, which has been in the Long family for two (soon to be three) generations, has always been community-minded and adaptable. However, the pandemic presented new challenges that required new […]
Posted inSustainability News, Corporate Store News, Northeast
Ratio Institute Recertifies Hannaford For Operational Sustainability
Ratio Institute has announced that Hannaford Supermarkets has completed Ratio Institute’s Sustainable Food Retail Certification. The process revealed large emissions reductions and enhanced operational efficiencies for the company, which operates 186 grocery stores in New England and New York. A key component of the certification process is sustainability benchmarking at all of a food retailer’s stores. […]
Posted inProduce News, Midwest, Sustainability News
Flashfood Releases 2022 Food Waste Impact Report
Flashfood released its first impact report, “The State of Food Waste,” May 16-18 at the ReFED 2023 Food Waste Solutions Summit in St. Louis, Missouri. The report looks at the role of food waste in the current climate crisis and how reducing waste at the retail level has the potential to lower greenhouse gas emissions, […]
Posted inPackaging News, Northeast, Sustainability News
New Research Reveals ‘Bottle Bill’ Recycling Behavior
New research has been released on consumers’ shopping preferences and attitudes around drink container recycling. The report “How recycling habits impact shopping behavior” has been published by Shelton, Connecticut-based TOMRA, a global producer of “reverse vending” technology that allow people to return their empty drink cans and bottles for recycling. Reverse vending machines are used […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, National
April eGrocery Sales Inch Up Versus Year Ago
According to the latest Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey fielded April 28-29, overall eGrocery sales for April totaled $8.2 billion, up 0.9 percent versus a year ago. Year-over-year performance varied across the three key segments as delivery sales jumped 20 percent, pickup dipped 3 percent and ship-to-home plunged 19 percent. The strong gains for delivery […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Marketing News, National
Catalina Study Shows Price Hikes Despite Overall Inflation Rate
For the first quarter of 2023, prices in several food and personal care categories topped the overall rate of inflation in the U.S. and Europe, according to the Catalina Shopping Basket Index. To compile its latest economic report, Catalina tapped into its Shopper Intelligence Platform to look at the aggregate price increase of 10 common […]
Posted inGrocery Store Layout, Corporate Store News, Northeast
Weis Markets Celebrates Store Remodel In Duryea, PA
Sunbury, Pennsylvania-based Weis Markets has completed the remodel of its store in Duryea, Pennsylvania. In celebration of the grand reopening, Weis Markets presented $500 in donations to local organizations, including CEO Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank, Holy Rosary School and Germania Hose Company. The remodeled Duryea store features new interior décor, a beer-wine café with adult […]
Posted inPackaging News, Northeast, Snacks Brands
Jolly Rancher Gummies Releases Street Art-Inspired Packaging
Hershey, Pennsylvania-based Jolly Rancher Gummies are releasing limited-edition packaging featuring designs from street artists, including Danielle Mastrion from New York, Joe Starkweather from Miami and Evan Farrell (KidWiseman) from Los Angeles. Jolly Rancher Gummies has unveiled murals in each of the artists’ cities to bring the packaging to life. An additional mural by KidWiseman will appear June 2 in Bentonville, Arkansas. Each large-scale piece of art combines the […]
Posted inPackaging News, Midwest
TekniPlex Plans Specialty Molded Fiber Facility In Ohio
Wayne, Pennsylvania-based TekniPlex Consumer Products has announced plans for a new manufacturing facility in Ohio. Planned to commence operations in early 2024, the 200,000-square-foot specialty molded fiber solutions facility will further expand the company’s capacity and capabilities in this sustainability-minded niche with products, such as high-performance egg cartons. This new technology allows for stronger, better-quality cartons to enhance […]