The winter holiday season remains the most important sales period of the year for chocolate and candy, driven by strong consumer traditions around gifts, entertaining and everyday indulgence, according to new data and seasonal insights from the National Confectioners Association (NCA). NCA research shows that 95 percent of Americans celebrate with chocolate and candy across […]
Category: National
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, National, News, Supply Chain News
Mowi ASA Begins Feed Partnership To Lower Costs
Mowi ASA, a producer of farm-raised Atlantic salmon, has entered into a strategic partnership with Skretting/Nutreco in which Mowi will produce feed based on Skretting’s formulations. The partnership is expected to deliver more than $58 million in annualized net cost savings through improvements in feed formulation, procurement and logistics. “Mowi and Skretting are a great […]
Posted inGrocery Research, National, News, Nonfood Items
Survey: Home, Housewares At Heart Of Consumers’ Plans In 2026
New International Housewares Association (IHA) research reveals that home and housewares products are increasingly central to how consumers plan to entertain and celebrate key life moments in 2026, according to the 2026 IHA Occasions and At-Home Entertaining Surveys released this week. The annual surveys — conducted for IHA by Morning Consult — provide detailed insights […]
Posted inCenter Store, National, News
McCormick Names Black Currant As 2026 Flavor Of The Year
McCormick and Co. has proclaimed the 2026 Flavor of the Year as black currant, a berry it said has a balanced flavor profile that blends sweet, tart and rich taste notes. The announcement came alongside McCormick’s 2026 Flavor Forecast, an annual trend report that identifies emerging culinary flavors expected to shape how people prepare and […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, National, News
RELEX Solutions Acquires Ida To Strengthen Fresh Store Ordering Capabilities
RELEX Solutions, a provider of unified artificial intelligence-driven supply chain and retail planning software, has acquired Ida, a Paris-based SaaS developer of AI-native fresh replenishment and store ordering optimization technology. The acquisition enhances RELEX’s platform with new capabilities aimed at improving fresh and ultra-fresh category planning for grocery retailers worldwide. Ida’s software focuses on replenishment […]
Posted inGrocery Store Equipment, Association News, National, News
FMI, Coalition Ask Federal Reserve To Finalize Debit Card Swipe Fee Reform
FMI – The Food Industry Association joined a coalition of merchant industry organizations representing Main Street businesses nationwide in urging the Federal Reserve to move forward and finalize its long-pending debit card swipe fee reform rule. The rule stems from the Durbin Amendment, enacted in 2010, which directed the Fed to ensure debit card interchange […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, National, News
DoorDash Brings Grocery Shopping Into ChatGPT With Integrated App
DoorDash has announced a new grocery shopping app integrated into ChatGPT that lets customers turn recipes into grocery orders, with delivery from local stores in potentially an hour. The partnership with OpenAI represents an expansion of DoorDash’s services into artificial intelligence-enabled retail commerce. According to DoorDash, more customers increasingly turn to ChatGPT for recipes, meal […]
Posted inPrivate Label Brands, Association News, National, News
PLMA Preps For National Store Brands Month In January
Store Brands Month returns Jan. 1 with a nationwide, consumer-focused awareness campaign designed to spotlight the quality, innovation and value of private label products. Created by the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA), the program is an industry-wide initiative that educates consumers about the breadth of store brand products available at supermarkets, club and convenience stores, […]