Harvest Health Foods, a family-owned grocery chain in Michigan, is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize inventory management and online shopping experiences, according to Bill Reiffer, the company’s VP of purchasing. Prior to becoming an ECRS customer in 2015, Harvest Health Foods employees were pricing each item individually. “It was our first point of sale,” […]
Category: Midwest
Posted inDairy News, Midwest
Prairie Farms Receives Top Honors At Cheese Competition
Edwardsville, Illinois-based Prairie Farms received top finishes June 3-7 at The American Cheese Society Judging and Competition. The event is one of the largest cheese judging events for American-made cheeses. Medals for the 41st anniversary of the competition were announced from among more than 1,400 cheeses competing in 120 categories and evaluated by a panel of […]
Posted inProduce News, Associated Wholesale Grocers, Midwest, Private Label Brands, Snacks Brands, Wholesaler/Distributor News
AWG Brands Expands Best Choice Produce Snacks
AWG Brands, the private brands portfolio of Kansas City, Kansas-based Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc., has launched its new Best Choice produce snack program. Designed to merchandise in grocers’ produce departments, the program offers a curated selection of 15 natural snacks. “We’re continuing to see growth in the category based on analytics from the AWG Partner Gateway […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Cosentino's Food Stores, Midwest, Retailer of the Year
Cosentino’s Cultivating Community Through Giving, Local Partnerships
Being a part of the community is one of the core missions at Cosentino’s. From schools and sports teams to town holiday events, the Cosentino Charity Foundation helps support many groups and causes. The company also is a key supporter of local businesses, featuring many of their products in-store. As most philanthropic groups tend to […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Aldi, Meijer, Midwest, SpartanNash
Via ‘Infrastructure For Innovation,’ Michigan Leaders Plan To Foster Economic Growth
Michigan’s economy is expected to grow by 1.8 percent in 2024 – slightly higher than 2023 but lower than the national economy – according to Comerica Bank. But state leaders are not sitting still; growth plans are in place. On May 30, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, delivering the keynote address at the Mackinac Policy Conference, announced […]
Posted inAssociation News, Midwest
MGA Foundation Awards $50K In Scholarships
The Minnesota Grocers Association Foundation awarded $50,000 in scholarships to employees or their dependents from MGA member companies for the 2024-25 school year. This program helps students related to Minnesota’s food industry by supporting their educational growth. Using funds raised from an annual golf event and silent auction, the MGAF is able to award scholarships […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Fareway, Midwest
Fareway Holds Ribbon Cutting For Site In Hull, IA
Fareway Stores Inc. held a ribbon cutting ceremony July 17 for a new store at at Highway 18 and Division Street in Hull, Iowa. The 10,600-square-foot store provides a full-service butcher counter and a large grocery selection with fresh-cut produce, healthy varieties and locally-sourced items. A variety of craft beer, fine wines and top-shelf spirits also […]
Posted inPrivate Label Brands, Corporate Store News, Midwest
Walgreens Expands Private Label Brand, Establishes ‘Nice! For You’
Walgreens is launching “Nice! For You,” a new tier of its private label grocery brand, “Nice!,” to help customers find food choices that help support their journey to a healthier lifestyle. “Nice!” launched in 2011 and offers a range of everyday food and beverage products at a low cost. While all “Nice!” products meet national brand standards […]