Posted inStore News, Amazon Fresh, Corporate Store News, Grocery Industry, Home Page Latest News, Independent Store News, Midwest, Whole Foods

Urban Grocery Study Reveals Growing Food Deserts, Significant Shift To Small-Format Stores

According to Mid-America Real Estate Corp.’s biennial Urban Grocery Study published this month, the Chicago grocery sector showed a net loss of nine stores from 2015-17, totaling a loss of 544,512 s.f. of operating or to-be-opened inventory. The average store size continued its downsizing trend as evidenced by the fact that the average size of closed stores over […]

Posted inShelby Signature Content, Bonus Content, Home Page Latest News, Marketing News, Midwest, Private Label Brands

Federated Group Gains Shopko, Banner Wholesale

Federated Group, which will celebrate its 90th year in business this December, brought its annual show back to a historic landmark, The Drake Hotel in Chicago. Federated Group takes over the luxurious venue and invites attendees, many of whom return every year, to catch up with a first-night cocktail reception. Jen Linke, VP of brand […]

Posted inLipari Foods, Association News, Home Page Latest News, Independent Store News, Midwest, Wholesaler/Distributor News

MGA Recognizes Oleson’s, Lipari With Outstanding Achievement Awards

Michigan Grocers Association (MGA) has named Oleson’s Food Stores in northern Michigan and Lipari Foods, headquartered in Warren, as its 2017 Al Kessel Outstanding Achievement Award winners. “The award is named to honor former MGA Director Albert F. ‘Al’ Kessel Jr., who passed away in 2012,” said MGA President & CEO Linda M. Gobler. “Al […]

Posted inIndependent Store News, Grocery Industry, Home Page Latest News, Midwest

Accident Doesn’t Hinder Tom Schmutz From Opening Save-A-Lot In Herrin, Illinois

Since it opened in early May, sales have been better at Tom Schmutz’s new store in Herrin, Illinois, than what Save-A-Lot projected. “When the mayor toured our store, he said there was a lot of buzz around it,” Schmutz said. “He asked if we were going to have fresh meat with cutters. I took him […]

Posted inStore News, Corporate Store News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Midwest, Private Label Brands

Hy-Vee Rolls Out First Products In Clean Honest Ingredients Initiative

Hy-Vee customers will have a lot fewer ingredients to read on the labels of select Hy-Vee brand food items, as the the supermarket chain says that, as as part of its Clean Honest Ingredients label initiative, it will eliminate more than 200 artificial ingredients or synthetic chemicals in 1,000 Hy-Vee label products by July 2018. […]

Posted inStore News, Corporate Store News, Home Page Latest News, Midwest

Schnucks To Co-Host Eclipse Party In Downtown St. Louis

On 1:18 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21, the St. Louis metropolitan area will experience its first total solar eclipse since 1442. To celebrate the rare occurrence, Schnucks has partnered with the Gateway Arch Park Foundation to host an eclipse party in downtown St. Louis. The two St. Louis institutions are inviting all to attend the party […]

Posted inEquipment & Technology, Corporate Store News, Grocery Industry, Grocery Store Equipment, Home Page Latest News, Midwest, Online Grocery Technology, Store News

‘Tally’ Robot To Audit Shelves At Three Schnucks Stores

Schnuck Markets is turning to a high-tech partner to help maintain an “exceptional” shopping experience: an aisle-roving robot named Tally. Schnucks and Simbe Robotics will collaborate to test-pilot Tally at three St. Louis metro area stores beginning July 31. During the six-week pilot, Tally will be charged with scanning store aisles three times a day […]

Posted inCoborn's, Amazon Fresh, Bonus Content, Grocery Industry, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Midwest, Online Grocery Technology, Store News, Supply Chain News, Whole Foods

Insights: Coborn’s Succeeds As E-Commerce Differentiator

How can an independent grocer succeed in an increasingly crowded e-commerce market? For St. Cloud, Minnesota-based Coborn’s, the winning formula includes boosting its e-commerce investment, differentiating from competitors, training delivery drivers to engage consumers and even making friends with customers’ dogs. Recent National Grocers Association (NGA) research underscored the importance of boosting e-commerce strategies. The […]