Dairy company Fairlife LLC has launched fairlife smart snacks, a collection of snack-sized beverages designed to curb hunger between meals. The latest addition to the company’s portfolio of beverages, smart snacks are made with fairlife ultra-filtered milk, which is dairy milk that has been cold-filtered to remove the lactose while delivering 50 percent more protein and […]
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.
SpartanNash Foundation Fundraising Effort Takes Aim At Hunger
The SpartanNash Foundation is hosting a companywide fundraising effort to help end hunger in the communities it serves, inviting store guests to join the Foundation and SpartanNash associates in supporting more than 100 local food pantries and food banks. The retail scan campaign will run Oct. 24 to Nov. 4, and 100 percent of dollars […]
Wisconsin Grocer Of The Year Gooseberries Crafting A 70/30 Experience
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Midwest Gooseberries Fresh Food Market opened its doors in 2006. Eight years later, David Spiegelhoff received the Wisconsin Grocers Association (WGA) Excellence in Operations Award. This year he and Gooseberries Fresh Food Market took the top honor as WGA Grocer of the Year. The association’s board of directors makes the selection. WGA President […]
Lakeview Farms Bringing Cheesecake Factory Desserts To Retail
Delphos, Ohio-based Lakeview Farms LLC, a manufacturer and marketer of refrigerated desserts, dips and specialty products, has entered into an agreement with The Cheesecake Factory to produce, market and sell The Cheesecake Factory At Home brand refrigerated desserts. “We are pleased to be partnering with The Cheesecake Factory to bring truly decadent, ready-to-eat dessert options to consumers nationwide,” […]
SpartanNash Promotes McQuesten To SVP-Center Store, Fresh Merchandising
SpartanNash Co. promoted Joseph McQuesten, formerly VP, center store merchandising, to SVP, center store and fresh merchandising, effective Oct. 8. “As SpartanNash continues to expand its organic, local and fresh perimeter offerings to meet our customers’ growing appetite for quality produce, meat, seafood, dairy, deli and all things quick and easy, we wanted to ensure […]
Kraft Heinz Invests In Emerging Tech With $100M Venture Capital Fund
Kraft Heinz has launched Evolv Ventures, a venture fund that will invest in emerging tech companies transforming the food industry. Kraft Heinz has committed up to $100 million to Evolv Ventures and brought on venture investor Bill Pescatello to lead the fund. “New technological innovations in the food industry create endless new opportunities to strengthen […]
HealthMarket Is Just The Right Fit For Hy-Vee
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Midwest Hy-Vee has crafted a store that appeals to a range of shoppers—from busy moms to bodybuilders to diabetics and diehard Doritos fans—and it does it in just 15,700 s.f. The first-ever Hy-Vee HealthMarket opened in West Des Moines, Iowa, on July 31. Packaged cheese, Cheerios, lunchmeat, Coke and Mountain Dew are available, […]
B&R Stores Acquiring Iowa Location From Newman Family
B&R Stores is acquiring the Newman’s Thriftway store in Glenwood, Iowa, and will convert it to a Russ’s Market. B&R operates several banners aside from Russ’s Market, including Super Saver and Apple Market. The Glenwood store will be the 20th location for the company. “B&R Stores expanded into the state of Iowa in 1993 with […]
Giant Eagle, Ricker’s Enter Acquisition Agreement
Giant Eagle Inc. and Ricker’s have entered into an acquisition agreement, allowing the GetGo and Ricker’s brands to join forces in serving customers throughout Indiana. “We are thrilled to partner with such a strong company, brand and talented group of Ricker’s employees,” said Laura Karet, Giant Eagle president and CEO, in a statement. “We look […]
Firelake Discount Foods Is The First Blue Zones Grocer In Oklahoma
by Terrie Ellerbee/editor-Southwest Firelake Discount Foods in Shawnee, Oklahoma, recently was designated the first-ever Blue Zones Project-approved grocery store in Oklahoma. Richard Driskell, director of retail operations for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, oversees three tribal grocery stores, including the flagship in Shawnee. At 88,000-s.f., it is the largest tribally-owned grocery store in the U.S. The […]
Lipari: Detroit Is Back And Michigan Is On Fire
Thom Lipari is president and CEO of Warren-based Lipari Foods. His father, Jim, started the company in the 1950s by distributing unique products from the back of his Ford station wagon. Thom came on board in 1971. Today, Lipari Foods operates a central distribution center in Warren, the largest suburb of Detroit. From that facility, […]
Kowalski’s Exec Named Minnesota Grocers Association Chair
The Minnesota Grocers Association (MGA) has named Kris Kowalski-Christiansen, CEO of Kowalski’s Cos. Inc., as its new chair. Kowalski-Christiansen succeeded Mark Collier of Superfair Foods at MGA’s Annual Convention in Brainerd, Minnesota. Collier was honored for his two-year term as chair at the event, which was attended by more than 300 members of the Minnesota […]
Eighth Annual MDA Fareway Golf Classic Raises More Than $148,000
Fareway Stores Inc. recently partnered with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) to host the Eighth Annual MDA Fareway Golf Classic at Beaver Creek Golf Club in Grimes, Iowa. The event raised more than $148,000 for MDA of Iowa, making it the best year yet for the golf tournament. Funds raised at this event will fund […]
Peapod Enters Exclusive Distribution Partnership With Meats By Linz
Online grocer Peapod is bringing family-owned meat purveyor Meats by Linz’s products to grocery retail for the first time ever. Through a new partnership, Peapod is the only distribution channel for direct-to-consumer purchase of Meats by Linz. Operated by the third-generation of the Linz family, Meats by Linz is a supplier to a number of […]
SpartanNash Completes Transition Of Two Minnesota Econofoods
SpartanNash on Sept. 12 celebrated the grand reopening of its newest Family Fare Supermarkets in Northfield and Red Wing, Minnesota. The retailer invested $3 million in the Northfield store, located at 601 Division Street, and $500,000 in the Red Wing store, located at 615 Main Street. The stores, which previously operated under the Econofoods banner, […]
Kroger Net Earnings Top $500 Million In 2Q
The Kroger Co. is reporting net earnings of $508 million, or $0.62 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2018, which ended on Aug. 18. Kroger’s second quarter adjusted net earnings were $336 million, or $0.41 per diluted share. Net earnings for the second quarter of 2017 were $353 million, or $0.39 per diluted […]
Chicago’s Treasure Island Foods Relocating Clybourn Store
Chicago, Illinois-area grocer Treasure Island Foods Inc. is in the process of relocating its Clybourn Avenue grocery store. The old store closed on Sept. 10, and the new store’s location will be announced in the coming months. Palmarium Retail Management Group, which manages the Clybourn store property, plans to announce a new tenant for the […]
Festival Foods Celebrates Family Meals Month With Video Series
Festival Foods is recognizing Family Meals Month this September with a variety of programs, insights and recipe ideas to help bring families together at meal time. This year’s campaign features some of Festival Foods’ “little guests” in a YouTube mini-series that’s focused on food, family meals and fun. On camera, children will be doing everything […]
Meijer Debuts New Convenience Store And Gas Station Design
Meijer will open a newly designed convenience store and gas station on Tuesday, Aug. 28. The new facility is located at 2988 Walker NW, adjacent to the retailer’s Grand Rapids, Michigan headquarters. The 5,500-s.f. c-store will be the first Meijer gas station to include a separate full-service Starbucks. The store also will include an expanded assortment of […]
Valu Merchandisers Co. Hosts Fall Show, Names Vendors Of The Year
Valu Merchandisers Co. (VMC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. (AWG), hosted its Fall 2018 Trade Show earlier this month at the Overland Park Convention Center in Kansas. “The VMC show is a great way to connect and network with valued members, vendors and broker partners, VMC sales and merchandising teams and […]
