Industry veteran Brian Haaraoja will succeed Peter J. Ciacco as president and CEO of Price Chopper Enterprises (PCE). Haaraoja joined Kansas-based Price Chopper on Feb. 25 and will transition fully to the role by mid-April when Ciacco retires. Haaraoja most recently served as VP of marketing and merchandising of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma-based HAC Inc., parent company […]
Category: Midwest
The Shelby Report of the Midwest covers grocery retailers, wholesalers and suppliers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Follow the latest store openings, remodels, leadership changes and market news from the region.
Posted inKeHE Distributors, Home Page Slider, Midwest, Wholesaler/Distributor News
KeHE To Fight Food Scarcity At Expo West With Meal-Packing Event
KeHE Cares, the non-profit foundation of Naperville, Illinois-based KeHE Distributors, a distributor of natural and organic specialty and fresh foods, is sponsoring a March 7 food packing event at Natural Products Expo West 2019 in Anaheim, California, to assist local residents facing challenges in feeding their families. In a 2.5-hour effort co-sponsored by Expo West producer New Hope Network and KeHE’s […]
Posted inSuppliers, Bakery News, Food Service News, Grocery News, Home Page Slider, Midwest, New Products, Snacks Brands, Specialty
Baker Boy Increases Magic Ring Donuts Line To Five Varieties
Baked goods manufacturer Baker Boy Inc. has expanded its line of Magic Ring Donuts. With the introduction of Strawberry Cream Cheese and Blueberry Jelly, Baker Boy now offers five flavors of the donuts, which the Dickinson, North Dakota-based company says are the first ring donuts in North America to feature filling in every bite. Magic […]
Posted inGrocery News, Beverage News, Home Page Slider, Midwest, Suppliers
The Makers Of 5-hour Energy Shots Add Tea Flavors
Farmington Hills, Michigan-based Living Essentials LLC, the makers of 5-hour Energy shots, has added two flavors to its growing 5-hour Tea line. Lemonade-Tea and Raspberry-Tea flavors are now available for purchase in at retailers and online. “With three great tasting flavors of 5-hour Tea shots, we now have a flavor for every taste” said Lynn […]
Posted inLipari Foods, Deli News, Grocery News, Home Page Slider, Midwest, Perishables, Suppliers
Lipari Foods Completes Its Acquisition Of Troyer Cheese
Lipari Foods, a Warren, Michigan-based distributor, manufacturer and importer of perimeter-of-the-store, specialty and branded food products, has acquired Troyer, which consists of Troyer Cheese Inc., Troyer Bros. Trucking Ltd. and Amish Wedding Foods Inc. Troyer, founded in 1959, is a specialty food distributor, manufacturer and processor in Millersburg, Ohio. The collective companies are engaged in […]
Posted inGrocery News, Health & Wellness, Home Page Slider, Independent Store News, Midwest, Nonfood Items, Store News
Meijer Launches Consumer Drug Take-Back Program In All Stores
Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Meijer is launching its new Consumer Drug Take-Back Program by installing secure in-store kiosks designed to help customers safely and properly dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs at no cost. Customers can find the easily identifiable kiosks in the pharmacy area in all 241 Meijer supercenters across the Midwest. “Meijer is […]
Posted inEquipment & Technology, Home Page Slider, Industry News, Marketing News, Midwest, Online Grocery Technology, Wholesaler/Distributor News
AWG’s Shopper Engagement Platform Drives Sales For Retailers
The Shopper Engagement Platform (SEP), the in-house loyalty and data marketing program for Kansas City, Kansas-based Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG), has engaged more than 300 of its retailers on the program. A first to market in-house program for grocery wholesalers in the U.S., SEP is aimed at enabling independent retailers to utilize data, digital coupons […]
Posted inProduce News, Frozen Food, Grocery News, Home Page Slider, Industry News, Midwest, New Products
Seal The Seasons Launches Locally Grown Frozen Fruit In The Midwest
Seal the Seasons, a national brand selling locally grown frozen fruit, is partnering with Meijer as the first Midwest retailer to carry its products. Seal the Seasons partners with farmers on a region-by-region basis to buy its fruit in season, freeze and package it, and sell it in nearby grocery stores. Seal the Seasons was […]
Posted inMidwest, Association News, Home Page Slider
MGA Recognizes 14 Minnesota Companies For Hunger-Relief Efforts
The Minnesota Grocers Association (MGA) has named the Silver Plate Award winners of its 2018 Bag Hunger Campaign contest (listed below). The contest is part of a statewide campaign coordinated annually by MGA that engages Minnesotans in the fight to bag hunger in their neighborhoods. The 2018 campaign donated $10,000 to Second Harvest Heartland with […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Corporate Store News, Home Page Slider, Industry News, Midwest, Store News
Kroger Introduces Mobile Payment Solution And Rewards Debit Card
The Kroger Co. is introducing Kroger Pay, a mobile payment solution that combines a customer’s payment and loyalty card information to create a faster checkout experience. The company also is launching a new Kroger Rewards debit card. “Kroger is redefining the customer experience by creating innovative ways to pay at our stores and online,” said Gary Millerchip, […]
Posted inKeHE Distributors, Home Page Slider, Midwest, Wholesaler/Distributor News
KeHE’s 2019 Summer Show Draws More Than 4,000 Attendees
KeHE welcomed more than 4,000 industry professionals to the 2019 KeHE Summer Show at Nashville’s Music City Center, Feb. 5-6. Products were featured by nearly 750 exhibitors across all product categories, which enabled retailers to experience first-hand new and on-trend products for the summer season and beyond. “Each year, this show continues to gain momentum,” said […]
Posted in, Association News, Grocery News, Health & Wellness, Home Page Slider, Industry News, Midwest, Produce News
Study Finds Health Benefits Of Montmorency Tart Cherry Juice
Montmorency tart cherry juice helped lower systolic blood pressure and LDL or “bad” cholesterol in older adults by reducing certain biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in older adults, according to a new study published in Nutrients. Larger and longer follow-up studies are needed to confirm these findings. Montmorency tart cherries are the most common variety of tart cherries […]
Posted inMidwest, Home Page Slider, Store News
SpartanNash Helping To Build Homes With Habitat For Humanity Partners
Kicking off its first companywide retail fundraising campaign of 2019, the SpartanNash Foundation is inviting store guests to join them in supporting local Habitat for Humanity partners in eight states. The retail scan campaign to secure shelter—one of the Foundation’s missions—began Feb. 6 and will run through Feb. 17. During the 12-day scan, store guests […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Association News, Grocery News, Home Page Slider, Midwest, Suppliers, Women In The News
Chicago Meat Authority’s Bennett Named To IPPE’s 30 Under 30 List
Chicago Meat Authority’s HACCP/SQF coordinator, Liang Bennett, is one of the 30 people under the age of 30 to be recognized as someone who has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities in the meat processing industry by the International Production & Processing Expo and the North American Meat Institute. Bennett, who earned a master’s degree from Illinois […]
Posted inHome Page Slider, Albertsons, Midwest, Wholesaler/Distributor News, Women In The News
Former Vons President Lori Raya Named CMMO At SpartanNash
Lori Raya will become the new chief merchandising and marketing officer (CMMO) for SpartanNash, effective Feb. 18. Raya joins SpartanNash following a 31-year career with Safeway/Albertsons, most recently serving as division president of Albertsons from 2015-18 following her role as division president of Vons in Southern California. In her most recent role, Raya led the […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Home Page Slider, Industry News, Midwest, Supply Chain News
FourKites Secures $50M In Funding For Supply Chain Visibility Network
FourKites, a predictive supply chain visibility company with U.S. headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, has received $50 million in new funding to fuel growth of its real-time visibility network for shippers and carriers. The Series C round was led by existing investors August Capital, Bain Capital Ventures, CEAS Investments and Hyde Park Angels. The funding brings FourKites’ total capital raised to […]
Posted inShelby Content, Home Page Slider, Market Profile, Midwest, Shelby Originals, Shelby Signature Content
Rural North Dakota Grocers May Soon Get Help From The U.S. Postal Service
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Midwest The Republican Party dominates state politics in North Dakota. With large majorities in both the House and Senate, state politics can be somewhat predictable, said John “Jiggs” Dyste, president and CEO of the North Dakota Grocers Association (NDGA). But North Dakota is different from most other states in at least one way. […]
Posted inCenter Store, Grocery News, Home Page Slider, Midwest, Suppliers
Saco Foods Acquires California Sun Dry Foods
Saco Foods LLC, a Middleton, Wisconsin-based manufacturer and distributor of specialty consumer packaged goods, has acquired California Sun Dry Foods Inc., a brand of sun-dried tomatoes. California Sun Dry joins Saco’s line of products including Dolci Frutta, a chocolate hard-shell dessert dip. Charles Olins, formerly the VP of sales and marketing at Concord Foods, has joined Saco […]
Posted inGrocery News, Health & Wellness, Home Page Slider, Independent Store News, Midwest, Store News
Hy-Vee Dietitians To Provide Free Biometric Screenings In February
For the second year, West Des Moines, Iowa-based Hy-Vee Inc. will provide free biometric screenings throughout its eight-state region during Heart Health Month in February. Hy-Vee dietitians working out of Hy-Vee Healthy You Mobiles will offer the free biometric screenings to customers at 150 Hy-Vee stores. Appointments will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis […]
Posted inGrocery News, Frozen Food, Home Page Slider, Midwest, Suppliers
Bob Evans Farms Launches New Side Dish Product Line
Columbus, Ohio-based Bob Evans Farms is adding an entirely new side dish product line, Steamables, and two more meal solution products to its Family Classics product line. The new Steamables product line launched with three varieties of potato wedges, including Sea Salt Red Potato Wedges, Steak House Red Potato Wedges and Garlic Red Potato Wedges. […]