St. Louis-based Save A Lot has named the winners of its 2025 Hometown Heroes, a nomination-based recognition program that showcases people and organizations making a difference in their communities. Here are the latest honorees: Ben Hoopengardner, Hancock Fire Department in Hancock, Maryland; Debbie Cohill, Martha’s House in Hancock, Maryland; Debbie Salters, Thursday Church in Vincennes, […]
Category: National
Posted inGrocery Research, Association News, Food Service News, National, News
FMI Study Highlights Grocery Stores’ Role In Convenient, Affordable Dining
FMI – The Food Industry Association has released “The Power of Foodservice at Retail 2025” report, revealing a significant shift in dining habits as consumers are increasingly choosing deli-prepared foods in place of restaurant meals, with this share more than doubling from 12 percent in 2017 to 28 percent in 2025. Many shoppers also are blending […]
Posted inAssociation News, National, News
The NGA Show Introduces Fresh Pitches Networking Experience
The NGA Show has introduced Fresh Pitches, a new one-to-one networking opportunity debuting at the 2026 event, Feb. 1-3 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Designed to foster high-impact connections between sponsors and independent grocery retailers, Fresh Pitches will offer a fast-paced, curated speed networking experience. Fresh Pitches centers around short, high-impact conversations that […]
Posted inGrocery Research, C-Store News, National, News
Report: Buc-ee’s, Sheetz, Wawa Are Top 3 U.S. C-Store Retailers
Texas-based Buc-ee’s ranks as the top U.S. retailer in the Convenience Retailer Preference Index (RPI), a nationwide brand equity study by dunnhumby that examines the approximately $860 billion U.S. convenience market. Buc-ee’s outperformed the other 40 convenience stores surveyed, scoring 17 points higher than Sheetz, which ranked second on the RPI. Wawa, Kwik Trip and […]
Posted inAssociation News, National, News
NGA Adds CTW Innovation Lounge At Executive Conference, Public Policy Summit
The National Grocers Association (NGA) is adding the Circle the Wagons (CTW) Innovation Lounge as a new feature to this year’s Executive Conference & Public Policy Summit, set to take place Oct. 20-22 in Washington, D.C. The CTW Innovation Lounge will be open to all attendees, providing a space for networking and the discovery of […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, National, News
IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show Returns To CA
The International Fresh Produce Association’s CEO Cathy Burns and 2025 board chair Tammy DeBoer, president of Harris Teeter, held a press briefing in early September ahead of its major gathering for the year, the Global Produce & Floral Show, Oct. 16-18. This year, the event is back in Anaheim, California. A couple of changes are […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Corporate Store News, National, News, Private Label Brands
Food Club Hosts Boy Band Bake-Off To Celebrate 80 Years
As part of its 80th anniversary celebration, Topco’s Food Club brand recently held a Boy Band Bake-Off featuring Lance Bass – multi-platinum Grammy winner of boy band *NSYNC – and A.J. McLean – member of the eight-time Grammy-nominated music group Backstreet Boys. The bake-off challenged Bass and McLean to use Food Club ingredients to bake […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Association News, Guest Contributors, IGA, National, News
Column: Why Are There So Many Food Deserts In America?
By Ashley Page, VP of marketing and public affairs for the Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) Most Americans, and certainly those of us in the grocery business, have grown used to seeing a bounty of food in our local grocery store. Rows of vibrantly colored fruits and vegetables, fresh meat and dairy and a huge variety […]