Lenexa, Kansas-based Hostess Brands launched its new “Live Your Mostess” integrated advertising campaign, the first national ad campaign for the Hostess brand in nearly a decade. Developed in partnership with Grey Midwest and Edelman, and produced by WPP’s Townhouse, the new campaign underscores the accelerated growth journey the brand has experienced over the past year […]
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 inIndependent Store News, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Hy-Vee’s Lampkin Named A National 2021 Store Manager Of Year
Brandon Lampkin, a 31-year veteran of Hy-Vee and store director at the 180th and Q Hy-Vee in Omaha, Nebraska, has been named 2021’s Store Manager of the Year in Category C by FMI – the Food Industry Association. This marks the second year in a row a Hy-Vee store director has been chosen for this […]
Posted inInternational Foods, Home Page Slider, Midwest, The Kroger Co.
Steve’s Mediterranean Chef Releases New Look Across Michigan Stores
Steve’s Mediterranean Chef, a metro-Detroit family-owned company that produces Mediterranean food favorites like hummus, tabouli, garlic sauce, grape leaves and spinach and feta pie, will debut a rebranded look as it celebrates seven-fold sales growth since the company’s purchase in 2013. Sales have risen from $800,000 (resale and wholesale) to $6 million in 2021, with a projected 15 to 20 […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Skogen’s Festival Foods Welcomes Leslie Atkinson As VP Of Marketing
Skogen’s Festival Foods, based in Green Bay, Wisconsin, has appointed Leslie Atkinson as VP of marketing, effective June 21. With more than 20 years of marketing leadership experience, Atkinson was most recently VP of marketing with Brookshire Grocery Co., a Texas-based supermarket chain with four banners and more than 178 stores in Texas, Louisiana and […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Home Page Slider, Midwest, The Kroger Co.
Russell Stover Introduces ‘Joy Bites’ – No Sugar Added Chocolate Bars
Kansas City, Missouri-based Russell Stover Chocolates launched Joy Bites, a collection of no sugar added chocolate bars that are crafted with Fairtrade cocoa and select non-GMO and organic ingredients. The Joy Bites collection includes an assortment of chocolate bars with breakable bites wrapped in easy-to-use resealable packaging that is 100 percent recyclable with FSC certified […]
Posted inProduce News, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Pure Green Farms Gets To Work On Expansion Plans With New Investor
Pure Green Farms, a Midwest hydroponic greenhouse which had its official launch earlier this year, will be moving forward with its expansion plans after taking on a new investor, Paul J. Mastronardi. Mastronardi chose to invest in Pure Green Farms because of the technology of the greenhouse and its growing system that produces high quality […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Nature Nate’s Honey Co. Partners With IRI To Grow Honey Category
Chicago-based IRI is continuing to deepen its strategic relationship with Nature Nate’s Honey Co. by helping it meet customers’ needs, collaborate with retailers and, ultimately, achieve category growth. While the honey category achieved 30 percent growth in 2020, Nature Nate’s outpaced the category with 45 percent growth in dollar sales for the 52 weeks ending […]
Posted inKeHE Distributors, Home Page Slider, Midwest, Wholesaler/Distributor News
KeHE And Sprouts Partner For Campaign To Identify Diverse Brands
Naperville, Illinois-based KeHE Distributors has partnered with Sprouts Farmers Market and RangeMe for a special entry opportunity for innovative brands that embody diversity and inclusion. Committed to supporting its retail partners in their quest for innovation and diversity, KeHE is foraging and reviewing submissions for brands that are mission-based, minority, women, veteran, LGBTQ or disability-owned and will introduce the […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Hostess Launches Three Breakfast Items In On-The-Go Packaging
Lenexa, Kansas-based Hostess Brands is introducing an array of new breakfast items, including Hostess Muff’n Stix, Pecan Spins and Baby Bundts. A recent study found that as many Americans find themselves increasingly time-crunched in the mornings, sitting down for breakfast is no longer a priority. Instead, consumers are searching for easy-to-grab and portable foods, with […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Hy-Vee And Google Cloud Partner To Enhance Retailer Digital Capabilities
West Des Moines, Iowa-based Hy-Vee has signed a multiyear partnership with Google Cloud to stay on the cutting edge of digital technology and drive new and unique innovation for its customers – both in store and online. The company is utilizing a suite of services powered by Google Cloud to make online shopping easier for […]
Posted inFrozen Food, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Path Of Life Debuts Quinoa And Rice Blends At Whole Foods Markets
Naperville, Illinois-based Path of Life, makers of heat-it-and-eat-it grain blends, has launched at Whole Foods Market’s in the Southwest Region. After a year in which better-for-you, frozen foods have been flying off the shelves, Path of Life grew its sales by 25.3 percent and continues to take the freezer aisle by storm. An easy way […]
Posted inCenter Store, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Wheaties Celebrates Century With Greatest Of All Time: Muhammad Ali
To mark its 100-year anniversary, Wheaties is continuing its tradition of recognizing athletes for their achievements on and off the field by dropping a limited-edition Century Box Series starting with The Greatest: Muhammad Ali. This collectible box will be the first in a multi-part commemorative series, launching throughout the centennial year and featuring inspirational champions […]
Posted inWholesaler/Distributor News, Home Page Latest News, Midwest
AWG Launches Specialty Food B2B Virtual Warehouse
Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. has launched its new wholesale marketplace, the VMC Virtual Warehouse, a digital buying tool to enable its more than 3,100 retail member stores to purchase an incremental range of unique specialty and local products for direct delivery to their stores. The VMC Virtual Warehouse is an augmentation to the extensive specialty […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Hormel Foods Closes On Acquisition Of Planters Snacking Portfolio
Hormel Foods Corp. has acquired the Planters snacking portfolio from the Kraft Heinz Co. The acquisition includes the Planters, NUT-rition, Planters Cheez Balls and Corn Nuts brands, as well as three production facilities. “This is an important day for Hormel Foods as we close the largest acquisition in our company’s history. As a global branded food company, we have […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Hy-Vee Dietitians Introduce Virtual Spanish Tours, Host Virtual Events
Hy-Vee’s team of registered dietitians is introducing free Spanish nutrition store tours and other services available in Spanish. Throughout June, Hy-Vee dietitians also will host a series of virtual cooking classes called “Meals in Minutes.” The cooking classes will demonstrate easy weekly meal prep and quick family dinner recipes. During June, Hy-Vee dietitians will host […]
Posted inCenter Store, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Pop-Tarts Launches Fruit Flavors Inspired By America’s Favorite Treats
Pop-Tarts is releasing three new flavors inspired by some of America’s favorite desserts: Peach Cobbler, Banana Crème Pie and Lemon Crème Pie. Each flavor features a soft-baked dough, sweet fruit-flavored filling and frosting. These new flavors are joining the dessert line now with flavors inspired by pie and cake. Pop-Tarts Lemon Crème Pie and Peach […]
Posted inHy-Vee, Home Page Slider, Independent Store News, Midwest
Hy-Vee Sponsors New Drive-In Movie Theater At Valley West Mall
Hy-Vee is the title sponsor of a new drive-in movie theater that will be located at Valley West Mall in West Des Moines, Iowa. The theater officially opens to the public on June 6, with a special showing of Iowa favorite “Field of Dreams.” Dwier Brown, who played John Kinsella (Kevin Costner’s dad) in the […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Albertsons, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Record Number Of Buyers Participate In ECRM Diversity Week Programs
More than 640 buyers met with 485 brands during ECRM’s recent Diversity Week, which included programs for diverse- and minority-owned suppliers across food and beverage, general merchandise, and health and beauty care categories. More than 3,800 curated meetings were held on the ECRM Connect platform across the three programs. The programs were launched to introduce retailers to brands […]
Posted inCenter Store, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Kellogg’s Debuts Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies Cereal
Kellogg and Little Debbie are joining forces to transform a childhood treat into cereal with new Kellogg’s Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies Cereal. Featuring crispy, brownie squares with cosmic rainbow pieces, each bite delivers the fudgy chocolate flavor of the Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies. “We are very excited to see one of our most loved Little […]
Posted inMeijer, COVID News, Home Page Slider, Midwest
Meijer Shares How Customers’ Cleaning Habits Have Changed
Meijer saw two new trends emerge in customers’ spring-cleaning habits after spending 14 months at home and now considering inviting houseguests in as more people get vaccinated – a balance between natural and disinfecting products and kitchen organization. “We saw our customers focus on home cleaning in a big way over the last year and […]