by Greg Ferrara / president and CEO, National Grocers Association With the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel visible at last, grocers are emerging having demonstrated that they are – without a doubt – “supermarket superheroes.” After more than 15 months, grocery stores provided some stability in a world of uncertainty. As restrictions […]
Category: National
Posted inAssociation News, National
NGA Poses 5 Questions For … AGNE President/CEO Michael Violette
NGA’s “Five Questions” is a regular feature that explores the insights of independent grocery operators. This week, Michael Violette, president and CEO of AG New England, shares his thoughts with us. 1. How is 2021 treating independent operators so far? Things are still going quite well for the independent retailer. The majority of our customers are […]
Posted inAssociation News, Home Page Slider, National
Sweets & Snacks Expo Opens As First Post-Pandemic Food Show
The Sweet & Snacks Expo officially opened June 23 as the first trade show to be held in Indianapolis in 2021 and the first food industry trade show in more than a year. This is the premier trade show for the candy and snack categories and it offers attendees the opportunity to discover new confectionery and snack […]
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Executive Leadership Development Program Delivers Intense Instruction
The National Grocers Association Foundation has completed its 2021 Executive Leadership Development Program, a four-day event that included a mix of interactive leadership instruction and personalized coaching. Held June 6-10 at Cornell University, the program is a high-impact learning opportunity encompassing intense instruction presented by respected academics and industry leaders. This year’s session, which hosted […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Home Page Slider, National
StrongPoint’s Order Picking Solution Delivers Efficiency
StrongPoint ASA, a European grocery retail solution provider, has introduced its grocery e-commerce picking solution for the U.S. market. It is designed specifically for grocery retailers looking for fast, hyper-efficient and scalable e-commerce logistics solutions. The StrongPoint solution suite delivers industry-leading efficiency rates for in-store picking compared to orders that are picked with more traditional […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Association News, Home Page Latest News, National
Sweets & Snacks Expo Unveils 2021 Most Innovative New Products
To kick off the 2021 Sweets & Snacks Expo, judges of the Most Innovative New Product Awards unveiled this year’s winners. These awards recognize the most innovative candy and snack products and companies for their achievements and new products introduced to the market over the past two years. “The Most Innovative New Product Awards continue […]
Posted inAssociation News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Slider, National
Tax Increases Would Hurt Grocery Industry After Challenges Of Past Year
By Leslie Sarasin / President and CEO, FMI – The Food Industry Association During the past year, America’s grocers stepped up and made the necessary investments to safely keep stores open and shelves stocked. Now, after one of the most challenging years for the food retail industry, lawmakers propose to raise taxes, which would make our job […]
Posted inAssociation News, National
Independent Grocery Pharmacies Need DIR Fee Reform Now
by Robert Yeakel / NGA, director of government relations Independent supermarkets operate more than 3,000 pharmacies across the country. In many small towns and rural areas, the grocery store pharmacy is the only healthcare provider in the community. In recent years, two disturbing trends have been accelerating: Medicare Part D beneficiaries are paying higher out-of-pocket […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Home Page Slider, National, Shelby Originals
Is Nation’s Labor Shortage Temporary Phenomenon Or Long-Term Issue?
by John Ross / President and CEO of IGA The news is filled with reports of America’s labor shortage. Liberals claim people aren’t working because labor rates are too low; conservatives contend that COVID stimulus has made it better to stay home and collect unemployment benefits. But the arguments don’t fix the problem facing the grocery […]
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Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit Is Open For Business
Produce Marketing Association has opened registration for this year’s Fresh Summit, which will be held in person in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event is in its 72nd year and will be one of the first times the entire global produce and floral industries will come together following the COVID-19 pandemic. Fresh Summit 2021 will run from Oct. 28-30 […]
Posted inShelby Originals, Home Page Latest News, National, Online Grocery Technology
As E-commerce Expands, More Companies Eyeing Entry
by Eric Pereira / staff writer As e-commerce in grocery in the U.S. continues to expand, more and more firms are looking to get involved. Peter van Stolk, CEO of FoodX, said he looks forward to closing request for proposals with “very large retailers” in the “near future.” FoodX is a software-as-a-service offering built around […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, National
Grocers Need To Think Differently About Data And Automation
Sponsored content by Amichay Oren It used to be simpler. Not long ago grocery retailers could drive marketing and merchandising decisions based heavily on their knowledge of local shopper needs. Customer behaviors weren’t changing so dramatically, store assortments were less complex and technology wasn’t as advanced. There were fewer data points required to analyze sales […]
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FMI Announces Winners Of 2021 Store Manager Awards
FMI – The Food Industry Association has named the four store managers who were voted winners of its 2021 Store Manager Awards. In the face of unprecedented challenges, each manager has displayed unparalleled commitment to quality shopper services and experience, generated sales growth that stands out among the rest and has prioritized effective workplace communication with both […]
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Stakeholders Make Push For Pharmacy DIR Reform In Congress
Hundreds of organizations representing community pharmacies, grocery store pharmacies, specialty pharmacies, chain pharmacies, patient groups, buying groups, health systems, wholesalers and business groups are making an all-out push for legislation that would stop the abuse of pharmacy price concessions charged by third-party middlemen. These charges have increased 91,500 percent in recent years. The Pharmacy DIR Reform […]
Posted inNorthgate Market, Association News, Health & Wellness, Home Page Slider, National
Nutrition Incentives: A Win-Win For Northgate Gonzalez Markets
by Pat Jones, NGA project assistant Northgate Gonzalez Markets is a family-owned independent grocery chain that has been operating in four California counties (Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange and Riverside) for 41 years and currently operates 41 locations. The stores primarily serve Hispanic and moderate to low-income communities. The family firmly believes that nutrition education […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Association News, Home Page Slider, National, Shelby Originals
Independent Grocery Is Economic Engine, Churning Forward
by Greg Ferrara / President and CEO, National Grocers Association Anyone familiar with the independent supermarket industry knows that independent community grocers are entrepreneurs within the marketplace, seeking any opportunity to innovate and grow, and now the numbers are in to prove it. NGA commissioned John Dunham & Associates to conduct its latest economic impact study to demonstrate […]
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New Study Shows Independent Community Grocers’ Role In The Economy
Independent community grocers play a key role in the nation’s economy with positive impacts across the country via jobs, wages and taxes, according to the latest economic impact study from the National Grocers Association, the trade association representing the independent supermarket industry. Independent community grocers are responsible for more than 1.1 million jobs (up from […]
Posted inPlant-Based News, Amazon Fresh, Home Page Slider, National, Whole Foods
Myracle Kitchen Partners With Hoffmann In Creating ‘Barista Mylk’
Myracle Kitchen has created plant-based Barista Mylk specifically for use in coffee, launching into the U.S. and Canada this month. Its unique blend of organic ingredients was developed with the help of global coffee guru James Hoffmann to make it taste and work just like dairy milk in coffee, unlike other alternatives. The project was […]
Posted inShelby Originals, Home Page Latest News, International Foods, National
Grocers Adapt Merchandising, In-Store Experience For Ethnic Customers
Expert: It ‘doesn’t make economic sense not to’ tap into growing consumer diversity by Eric Pereira / staff writer The combined buying power in the U.S. of African-Americans, Asian-Americans and Native Americans is an estimated $2.4 trillion, while Hispanics lead the way with $1.5 trillion, according to a Multicultural Economy Report from the University of Georgia. […]
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FMI’s 2021 Midsummer Strategic Conference To Continue Virtually
FMI – The Food Industry Association again will host the Midsummer Strategic Executive Exchange Conference virtually on June 21-25. Midsummer provides a unique opportunity for continued trading partner collaboration to identify, prioritize and address the industry’s most pressing business issues. FMI’s Midsummer 2021 event will be primarily for executives and their teams to discuss key business […]