Hershey’s alleged use of child-slave labor will be the subject of a commercial titled “Hershey’s Chocolate: Kissed by Child Labor.” The first-ever Super Bowl “brand-jamming” ad will appear on a jumbotron screen immediately outside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, where the game will be played on Sunday, Feb. 5, alongside spots by McDonalds, AllState 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.
Posted in, C-Store News, Equipment & Technology, Midwest, Southeast
Noble Roman’s Partners with The Pantry for Pilot Program
Noble Roman’s Inc., the Indianapolis-based, non-traditional pizza franchisor, is partnering with The Pantry Inc., a leading convenience store operator in the Southeast, for a pilot program featuring Noble Roman’s branded foodservice system. The Pantry is headquartered in Cary, N.C., and has more than 1,650 locations in 13 states. The pilot program will begin with a […]
Posted in, Equipment & Technology, Midwest
Centerplate Celebrates Heartland with Exclusive Super Bowl Menu
Centerplate, the largest hospitality partner to North America’s premier sports stadiums, convention centers and entertainment venues, is introducing its exclusive hospitality menu for Super Bowl XLVI, held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. In more than 250 venues nationwide, Centerplate prides itself on bold, chef-inspired cuisine grounded in treasured local flavors. And the Super […]
Posted in, Midwest
Ohio’s Constantino’s Market Highlights Success of SBA Loans
Constantino’s Market in Cleveland, Ohio, has used three loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to expand its successful business and create 31 jobs, with the expectation of creating up to 50 more when its new store opens later this year near University Circle. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and U.S. Small Business Administrator […]
Posted in, Midwest
Capitol Day Brings Grocers to Madison, Wisc.
Brandon Scholz, president of the Wisconsin Grocers Association (WGA), spoke to The Shelby Report on Jan. 25 in Madison at the group’s annual “Grocers in the Capitol Day.” “It’s just so important to have our members come to the state’s capitol, whether it’s here in Wisconsin or any other state, to be a part of […]
Posted in, Midwest, National
Moore Named Supervalu EVO/CMO
Michael Moore has been named EVP and CMO for Minneapolis-based Supervalu, the company announced Jan. 24. Moore, 47, joined Supervalu in 2011 as business transformation officer, working on the implementation of Supervalu’s business turnaround. Moore was named to the top marketing post following the recent decision by Julie Dexter Berg to leave the company and […]
Posted in, Midwest, Northeast
Roland Supports Indianapolis ‘Taste of the NFL’ Event
American Roland Food Corp. is supporting the Taste of the NFL event for the second year in a row. Held annually on the eve before the big game, the Taste of the NFL brings together the country’s top chefs, NFL players and hundreds of volunteers to “Party with a Purpose®.” The game is in Indianapolis, […]
Posted in, Midwest, Organic Natural
Surf Sweets Debuting Spring Mix of Organic Jelly Beans
Wheeling, Ill.-based Surf Sweets® is launching an 8-oz. seasonal spring mix of its Organic Jelly Beans—with six new flavors: tropical punch, lemonade, mixed berry, pineapple, tangerine and watermelon. “Consumers tell us they love the delicious taste of our Organic Jelly Beans,” says Bert Cohen, president and founder of TruSweets. “Our bigger, more convenient 8-oz. seasonal […]
Posted in, Amazon Fresh, Market Profile, Midwest, Whole Foods
2011 Illinois Profile: Retailers’ Roots Run Deep
[gn_note color=”#FFCC00″]The 2011 Illinois Profile originally ran in the November 2011 edition of The Shelby Report of the Midwest. Due to reader requests we will be posting our Profiles from each edition of The Shelby Report. The profile will be published on theshelbyreport.com one month after it has run in print.[/gn_note] by Terrie Ellerbee/associate editor […]
Posted in, Midwest, Perishables, Suppliers
Best Chicago Meat Co. Buys Moo & Oink Brand
Best Chicago Meat Co. purchased Moo & Oink’s intellectual property at public auction for $530,000 in December. The four Moo & Oink stores—three in Chicago and one in Hazel Crest—filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in late September. Because there were no bidders on the real estate, the stores will remain closed. Purchased by Best Chicago […]
Posted in, Center Store, Midwest, Southeast
Graeter’s Ice Cream Hitting Publix, Winn-Dixie Shelves
Graeter’s ice cream makes its own pastries, chocolates and ice cream from scratch for its chain of three-dozen stores in the Cincinnati area, and now believes its loyal following will translate to a successful Tampa Bay expansion. The premium high milk-fat ice cream attracts a large mail-order business and Florida has been the top address […]
Posted in, Midwest
Shopko Stores, Pamida Merge
Two of the nation’s leading Midwest-based general merchandise retail chains, Shopko stores and Pamida, will merge to create one of the largest U.S. retailers focused on serving smaller and rural communities, according to a news release. The combined entity will have nearly 350 locations in 22 states and plans for new store growth in the […]
Posted in, Midwest, West
Players Tackle Hunger in San Fran Prior to Kraft Bowl Game
As a warmup for the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl played at AT&T Park on Saturday, football players from the University of Illinois and the Bruins of UCLA served meals to some of San Francisco’s neediest at St. Anthony’s and Glide Memorial on Friday, reports the San Francisco Business Times. “At a time when we see […]
Posted in, Equipment & Technology, Midwest, Suppliers
Lauer Retires from Topco
Steven K. Lauer has retired from his positions as president and CEO of Topco Associates LLC in Skokie, Ill. Lauer, who retired Dec. 23, has been with the cooperative for 19 years. He joined Topco in 1993 as CFO and was promoted to president and CEO in 1999. Under Lauer’s leadership, Topco’s membership has grown […]
Posted in, Midwest
ConAgra, General Mills Optimistic for New Year
Omaha, Neb.-based ConAgra Foods Inc. and Minneapolis-based General Mills Inc. both are banking on earnings growth in the second half of their fiscal years, following muted first-half results with margins down from higher costs and sales volume crimped by rising prices, reports The Wall Street Journal. On Dec. 20, “the two packaged-food giants posted double-digit […]
Posted in, Midwest
Kroger Workers in Mid-Michigan Ratify New Contract
Michigan Kroger workers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 951 have voted to approve a new three-year contract by a vote of 84 percent “yes” to 16 percent “no.” “The proposal had the full recommendation of the bargaining committee as it preserved members’ health benefits and pension, and provided top-rate wage […]
Posted in, Midwest, National, New Products
Kraft Debuting 70 Products for New Year
Kraft Foods Inc. knows its consumers well and is feeding their hunger for bold flavors, easy meal solutions and better-for-you offerings with more than 70 new product innovations, according to a company news release. “Americans are having more interactive experiences with food and want the opportunity to do some of the cooking themselves,” says Barry […]
Posted in, Equipment & Technology, Midwest
Glorioso’s Design Firm Earns Recognition
Glorioso’s Italian Market recently won The Business Journal’s 2011 Real Estate Award for Best New Development or Renovation. The project was directed by Mehmert Store Services Inc. of Sussex, Wis., which worked with Glorioso’s Italian Market on a major renovation of the historic Astor Theater, converting the 20,000-s.f. building into the new location for Glorioso’s […]
Posted in, Midwest
B&R Stores Partners with Local Nonprofits During Holiday Season
Lincoln, Neb.-based B&R Stores is teaming up with Heartland Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Food Bank of Lincoln to make the holiday season brighter. The two organizations benefited from appearances by The Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan at Russ’s Market and Super Saver stores in Lincoln earlier this month. Visitors to the caravan at the Russ’s […]
Posted in, Equipment & Technology, Midwest
Zero Zone Celebrates 50 Years
Since 1961, when it first began operations in a dairy barn in a small town outside Milwaukee, Zero Zone Inc. has earned the reputation of producing top-of-the-line commercial refrigeration units at competitive prices. Now, 50 years later, the company has expanded its operations in spite of the economy; in fact, 2010 was the company’s most […]