As economic concerns begin to dominate the news cycle, consumers are feeling the pinch of inflation, bringing more experiential activities back into their homes. IHA’s 2023 At-Home Entertaining Survey found that 82 percent of consumers expect to entertain in their homes at the same or increased frequency in the next year; 35 percent expect to […]
Category: National
Posted inAssociation News, National
Network Designed To Energize, Inspire Women Grocery Executives
by Chelsea Matzen / Director, NGA Foundation Are you ready to join one of the most energizing and inspiring executive development programs in the grocery industry? The first meeting of the Executive Female Leaders Network (EXFL) offered a robust content platform focusing on leadership development, industry trends and peer networking. But it was much more […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, National
Acosta Subsidiary Expands North American Market Leadership
Los Angeles-based CORE Foodservice has acquired Quebec-based TTS Marketing & Sales, a foodservice sales agency with footholds in Quebec, Ontario and Atlantic Canada. CORE Foodservice, part of the Acosta group of companies, is strengthening its organization through this acquisition to better support clients and customers across the continent. “We have had a strong presence in Canada and know it is a different marketplace. By bringing together our […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Association News, National
NGA Show Announces New Technology Summit
The NGA Show will offer a new education component, the Technology Summit, giving grocery retailers a look at technology from multiple perspectives. Topics will span the spectrum of technology, from AI and tech designed to improve the customer experience, to food-centric technologies, including store-level vertical farms, to retail media networks that can shape interactions between […]
Posted inAssociation News, National
NACS Announces Three New Industry Hires
Three new team members have joined the NACS staff. Emma Tainter is a research analyst and writer. In this newly created role in the NACS Research Department, Tainter will support all of its activities with a focus on writing and editing. She will have an impact on developing program content for the NACS State of the […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, National
NGA Foundation Chosen To Advance SNAP Online Programs
The National Grocers Association Foundation has been awarded a $5 million grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service to establish a technical assistance center that will guide grocers through the process of implementing online SNAP grocery purchasing. “Independent community grocers have been pursuing expansion of their online purchasing platforms, including online […]
Posted inPackaging News, National
Supply Chain Disruptions, Inflation Impact Packaging Industry
The annual trends report from the Foodservice Packaging Institute reveals that industry opinions remain focused on post-COVID-19 concerns, indicating that supply chain issues, inflation and requests to “do more with less” are dominant subjects, along with a focus on off-premise dining. “As 2022 heads to its close, we’ve seen a return to normal that isn’t quite […]
Posted inAssociation News, National, Supply Chain News
High Commodity Prices Put Pressure On CPG Manufacturing
The Consumer Brands Association warned that wholesale prices in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Dec. 9 readout showed continued production cost pressures for consumer packaged goods manufacturers. The November Producer Price Index rose 7.4 percent over last year and 0.3 percent since October. The CPG industry still faces steep commodity prices that remain above overall […]
Posted inExceptional Independents, National
IGA CEO ‘Super Optimistic’ For Future Of Independent Grocers
Shelby Publishing is accepting nominations for its inaugural Exceptional Independents Awards program, which honors the role independent grocers play in the industry. Independent grocers make up a large segment of the industry, with more than 33 percent of overall grocery sales, according to IGA CEO John Ross. That number is up nearly 25 percent compared […]
Posted inAssociation News, Guest Contributors, National
What Does 2023 Have In Store For Independents?
Winston Churchill once said, “A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen.” The same could very well be said of grocery market analysts. Who could have predicted a global pandemic, war […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, National
Mondelēz International Acquires Clif Bar & Co.
Chicago-based Mondelēz International has completed the acquisition of Emeryville, California-based Clif Bar & Co., a maker of energy bars with organic ingredients. The acquisition expands Mondelēz International’s global snack bar business to more than $1 billion, with brands including Clif, Clif Kid and Luna complementing its refrigerated snacking business Perfect Snacks in the U.S. and performance […]
Posted inBeverage News, Association News, National
Primo Water Receives Environmental Stewardship Award
The International Bottled Water Association has announced that Tampa, Florida-based Primo Water is the recipient of the 2022 Environmental Stewardship Award. The announcement was made during IBWA’s annual business meeting, which was held in Chicago as part of the 2022 IBWA Annual Business Conference. “Primo’s water sources are paramount to its environmental, social and governance program, […]
Posted inProduce News, National
Pure Flavor Introduces Alonna Canary Melons
Pure Flavor has introduced its Alonna Canary Melons and has expanded production with a new greenhouse in Leamington, Ontario. “We are excited to introduce our second greenhouse grown melon this year. Our innovation pipeline continues to expand to remove the seasonality of fresh fruits and vegetables and believe that new, sustainably grown products like Alonna Canary […]
Posted inCenter Store, National
Church & Dwight Selects IRI As Market Insights Partner
Church & Dwight Co. Inc, a household and personal care products manufacturer, has selected IRI as its market insights partner. Church & Dwight is using IRI’s research to help drive speed to innovation, improve shopper activation across omnichannel and enhance productivity through integrated decision support. The partnership will identify pockets of growth within Church & […]
Posted inDairy News, Association News, Bakery News, Deli News, National
November Sales Delivered Mixed Results For Deli, Dairy, Bakery
IRI, 210 Analytics and IDDBA are sharing more analysis from the deli, dairy and bakery departments. Dairy and bakery had above-average inflation, whereas deli was below in November versus the November 2021 average. With heavy inflation in eggs and other dairy items, the total refrigerated department generated a 20.6 percent increase in sales to reach $7.5 […]
Posted inCenter Store, Bakery News, National
Carandini, Olivieri 1882 Introduce New Seasonal Cake
Carandini is partnering with a family-owned pasticceria, Olivieri 1882, to launch a new seasonal variety: Panettone con Aceto Balsamico di Modena (Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI). The limited edition cake combines two Italian culinary traditions, resulting in a holiday cake featuring a balsamic cream filling made using Carandini’s Emilio Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI. Based […]
Posted inProduce News, National
Produce Sales Remain Similar To Last Year
IRI, 210 Analytics and IFPA have shared the latest analysis of fresh produce. Fresh produce prices were up from last year, but at a low 5.3 percent level on a per-unit basis and 5.6 percent on a per-pound basis. The deceleration is driven by fruit, for which prices increased a low 3.2 percent. Additionally, vegetable inflation […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Association News, National
NCA Shares New Report On Candy Consumers
Non-chocolate candy is a consumer favorite during prosperous, inflationary and pandemic times, according to the National Confectioners Association. The second-largest selling confectionery category, non-chocolate candy represents 32 percent of all U.S. confectionery dollar sales and growth is outpacing that of all other segments, IRI reports. In an effort to explore how shifting demographics, consumption preferences […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Association News, National
Consumers Set To Spread Holiday Cheer Through Candy
Chocolate and candy can play a role in year-round celebrations, but the $4.9 billion dollar winter holidays season is where these treats shine, with more than half of consumers saying they plan to celebrate the season by gifting confectionery products, according to research gathered by the National Confectioners Association. “A meaningful part of the excitement of the […]
Posted inFrozen Food, Association News, National
Thanksgiving Holiday Prompts Sales Spike For Frozen Food
IRI, 210 Analytics and AFFI have shared the latest data and analysis regarding the frozen food department. Frozen food prices on a per unit basis increased 16.8 percent in November, unchanged from the increases seen in September and October. This is more than three percentage points higher than the total store average. Virtually all areas […]