Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Meijer held its 10th annual Very Merry Meijer event, surprising customers with holiday shopping sprees. In each of the retailer’s 262 stores across the Midwest, directors and executives gave one in-store customer a $1,000 shopping spree and presented two Meijer employees with $200 gift cards. “Celebrating the 10th anniversary of this special […]
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 inProduce News, Midwest
Russ Davis Wholesale Continues Growth Trajectory
Russ Davis Wholesale is a 100 percent employee-owned produce wholesaler distributor and processor of fresh fruits and vegetables based in Wadena, Minnesota. The company was started in 1955 by Russ Davis as a one truck business. He called on local grocery stores in the lakes area of northwestern Minnesota. Since becoming employee owned in 1991, […]
Posted inExecutive News, Midwest, Wholesaler/Distributor News
AWG’s Vice Chair Woods Jr. To Retire, Successor Named
Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. has announced the retirement of Don Woods Jr., vice chair of the AWG Board of Directors. Woods, owner of Woods Super Markets Inc. based in Bolivar, Missouri, served on the AWG board for more than 38 years, serving as vice chair for 24 years. AWG board member Dale Trahan, owner of […]
Posted inPackaging News, Dairy News, Midwest
Huhtamaki Introduces Sustainable Egg Packaging
Huhtamaki is launching fiber-based egg packaging, made from 100 percent recycled material, for U.S. egg producers. The company is bringing its fiber egg carton expertise to the U.S. as an alternative to foam egg packaging. “We expect the demand for egg packaging in the U.S. to reach 4.3 billion packs in 2025. The market size […]
Posted inAssociation News, Market Profile, Midwest
IRMA Exec: Future Of Illinois Grocers Hangs In Balance
Merchants in Illinois are facing a problem 15 years in the making. In 2008, the Illinois legislature unanimously passed the Biometric Information Privacy Act, which ensures that private companies are prohibited from collecting biometric data unless given express permission, according to Rob Karr, president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association. The law requires […]
Posted inWholesaler/Distributor News, Midwest
SpartanNash Reveals 2023 Our Family Scholarship Recipients
SpartanNash has announced the 25 recipients of its Our Family 2023 Scholarship Program, supporting students making a positive difference in their communities. Introduced in April, the program invited students who live in the same states served by SpartanNash-distributed grocery stores to apply for a $2,000 scholarship. The awards may be used toward higher education, including […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Executive News, Midwest
Save A Lot Names Interim CEO Boehler To Permanent Role
St. Louis-based independently-owned and -operated discount grocery store chain Save A Lot announced that Fred Boehler, who had been serving as its interim CEO since Oct. 31, will move into the role on a permanent basis. A seasoned supply chain executive with more than 30 years of experience across multiple retail and wholesale format businesses, […]
Posted inFood Industry Hall of Fame, Coborn's, Midwest, Wholesaler/Distributor News
Upper Midwest AWG Division Providing Opportunities For Growth
AWG’s Upper Midwest division opened in St. Cloud, Minnesota, in 2022. It is comprised of two facilities – a 300,000-square-foot dry facility and a state-of-the-art, 330,000-square-foot fresh/frozen facility. Emile Breaux, SVP, chief sales and support officer for AWG, said the expansion into the new geography just made sense. “We knew that there were a number […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Midwest
Lakeside Foods Taps Neff As SVP Of Sales
Manitowoc, Wisconsin-based Lakeside Foods has appointed Laurie Neff as SVP of sales. Neff brings 25 years of progressive sales leadership experience in the food industry, spanning private label and branded lines, channel and category development and joint venture management. “We’re excited to have Laurie on board to lead our sales function,” said Kevin Lien, chief […]
Posted inFood Industry Hall of Fame, Midwest
Strong Executive Team Ready To Lead AWG To Future Success
When AWG President and CEO David Smith retires at the end of the year, his successor will step into the leadership role well prepared to steer the company into the future. Dan Funk, incoming president, has been working with Smith for several months preparing for the transition. Even before being named as Smith’s successor, the […]
Posted inFood Industry Hall of Fame, Midwest
AWG, Circana Partnership Launches Portal For Integrated Collaboration
Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. and Circana (formerly IRI) teamed up in January 2022 to launch AWG Partner Gateway, a portal to enable integrated collaboration between members and their vendor partners using Circana’s Liquid Data technology. The gateway is part of AWG’s Convergence initiative. Convergence is AWG’s long-term strategy to operate as a $23 billion cooperative […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Midwest
Pure Prairie Poultry Launches New Retail Brand
Pure Prairie Poultry has purchased a chicken processing facility in Charles City, Iowa, that showcases its air-chilled technology. Offered at more than 50 locations across Coborn’s, Cashwise and Marketplace stores in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin, the company has big plans to grow throughout the Midwest and beyond. “Our premium quality offerings start with a smaller chicken, which […]
Posted inCenter Store, Executive News, Midwest
General Mills Shares Changes To Senior Leadership Team
General Mills Inc. has announced several changes to its senior leadership team to advance the company’s enterprise strategy, Accelerate. Jon Nudi has been appointed to a new role as group president, pet and international, where he will be accountable for the two largest growth areas for the company. Since 2016, Nudi served as group president, […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Food Industry Hall of Fame, Midwest
AWG Working To Increase Efficiencies With Convergence
Technology is the top strategic investment for AWG, according to its annual report. Part of that technology investment has been in the co-op’s Convergence initiative, which is the alignment of AWG, its member stores and supply partners. Convergence brings the co-op and its members together to work on areas to scale its more than $24 […]
Posted inBJ's Wholesale Club, Corporate Store News, Midwest, Southeast
BJ’s To Open New Clubs Dec. 15 In Ohio, Tennessee
BJ’s Wholesale Club will open two new clubs Dec. 15: one at 8425 Orange Centre Dr. in Lewis Center, Ohio, and another at 181 Adams Lane in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. Both clubs have a BJ’s gas location on-site, offering regular, premium and diesel fuels. The locations have partnered with nonprofit organizations in the local communities […]
Posted inAssociation News, Hugo's Family Marketplace, Midwest
7 Minnesota Grocers Named Retailer Of Year Recipients
Seven grocers who promote locally grown and produced products have been named a 2024 Retailer of the Year by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Minnesota Grown program, in partnership with the Minnesota Grocers Association. This year’s winners include: Northwest: Hugo’s Family Marketplace, East Grand Forks; Northeast: Chris’ Food Center, Sandstone; West Central: Elden’s Fresh Foods, […]
Posted inWholesaler/Distributor News, Midwest
SpartanNash Unveils Immersive Grocery Experience
SpartanNash has announced a partnership with Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes to support JA Finance Park, the organization’s capstone program for financial planning and career exploration. SpartanNash participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Dec. 4 for the Family Fare experiential learning center, where students can choose from a range of careers, including cashier, supply […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Midwest
Fresh Encounter Supports Food Banks, Mental Health Groups
As part of Giving Tuesday on Nov. 28, Fresh Encounter donated $81,000 to eight local food banks and 21 mental health organizations. The donation, which included customer donations and a gift from Fresh Encounter, is part of the Findlay, Ohio-based grocer’s efforts to address food insecurity and promote mental well-being, with total contributions for the […]
Posted inCenter Store, Midwest
Post Holdings To Shutter Cereal Plant In Lancaster, OH
Citing the need to reduce capacity in its production network, Post Holdings Inc. has announced plans to close its cereal manufacturing plant in Lancaster, Ohio, by the end of September. Production capabilities at the plant, which has about 200 employees, will be transferred to other Post Consumer Brands manufacturing locations. The company has engaged in […]
Posted inMeijer, Independent Store News, Midwest
Meijer Opening Fairfax Market Jan. 16 In Cleveland
Meijer plans to open Fairfax Market, its first small-format neighborhood concept store outside of Michigan, on Jan. 16 at 2190 E. 105th St. in Cleveland. Located in the Cleveland Innovation District, the 40,000-square-foot market will address food insecurity, support economic development and provide a grocery destination for residents of Fairfax and other neighborhoods, as well […]