Nicole Cote of Hannaford Supermarket in Maine defeated 22 other best baggers from across the country to claim a grand prize of $10,000 in the Feb. 24 National Grocers Association (NGA) Best Bagger Championship. The event is sponsored by PepsiCo and emceed by Akbar Gbajabiamila, co-host of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior and author of “Everyone […]
Category: National
Craft Brew Alliance Approves Proposed Agreement With Anheuser-Busch
The shareholders of Craft Brew Alliance Inc. (CBA) voted at a special meeting Feb. 25 to adopt an agreement, announced Nov. 11, 2019, that will create an expanded partnership between CBA and Anheuser-Busch Cos. LLC (A-B), with A-B agreeing to purchase the remaining CBA shares it does not already own in a merger transaction for […]
Store No. 8 Moving Jet Black From Incubation Into Broader Business
Since launching Store No. 8, Walmart’s technology incubator, three years ago, Scott Eckert, SVP of Next Generation Retail and principal of Store No. 8, says one of the company’s primary goals has been to launch new capabilities that can grow and be fueled by the Walmart engine, eventually shaping how to serve customers in the […]
NGA Presents Dory With Zaucha Entrepreneurial Excellence Award
The National Grocers Association (NGA) presented the Thomas K. Zaucha Entrepreneurial Excellence Award to Rudy Dory, executive chairman at Newport Avenue Market. The award was presented the evening of Feb. 22, prior to the opening of the NGA Show in San Diego, California. “When you think of what it means to be an entrepreneur, Rudy […]
Acosta Reveals National Partnership With On The Border Chips And Dips
Acosta has been named the U.S. sales and marketing agency of record in Walmart for Truco Enterprises, maker of On The Border chips, salsa and queso, effective Feb. 15. On The Border tortilla chips are the highest velocity unflavored national brand tortilla chips in Walmart today. Acosta, a sales and marketing agency in the consumer packaged goods […]
Fortune Names Grocers To ‘100 Best Companies To Work For’ List
Great Place to Work has just published its 23rd annual ranking of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, the list of the best workplaces in the U.S., created in partnership with Fortune. Grocers Wegmans, Publix and Nugget Markets were included on the 2020 list. “The 100 Best show the way forward,” said Michael C. Bush, CEO […]
Walmart U.S. Comp Sales, E-Commerce Sales Grow In Q4
In its fourth-quarter highlights, Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart U.S. reported total revenue was $141.7 billion, an increase of $2.9 billion, or 2.1 percent. Walmart U.S. comp sales increased on a two-year stacked basis by 6 percent with continued strength in food and consumables. Walmart U.S. e-commerce had strong growth in grocery pickup and delivery, and walmart.com […]
Kroger Precision Marketing Challenges Media Industry
The Kroger Co.’s media advertising business, Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM), has a new sales attribution capability to provide brands full transparency into media performance. Kroger’s self-service advertising platform now allows brands to view in-store and online sales results attributed to advertising campaigns across Kroger properties. Kroger applies only 100 percent verified transactions from both in-store and online customers. Microsoft […]
Sprite ‘Drops’ Hit Of Ginger With New Beverage, Streetwear Collaboration
Sprite is adding a hit of ginger flavor to its lemon-lime base with a category-crossing innovation that launched Feb. 12. Sprite Ginger now is available nationwide in 20-oz. and 2-liter bottles and 12-oz. can 12-packs. Sprite Ginger Zero Sugar now is available nationwide in 12-oz. cans. The drink was developed in response to the popularity […]
Soto: Segmenting Multicultural Markets Not As Challenging As You Think
by Terry Soto/multicultural marketing expert I’m often asked how retailers can avoid stereotyping or generalizing when attempting to attract sales from multicultural shoppers given how diverse even one nationality, dialect or cultural background can be. It starts with some common sense. Say you want to attract sales among Hispanic shoppers. The first step should always […]
2020 United Fresh Innovation Awards Application Period Now Open
United Fresh has opened the application period for the 2020 United Fresh Innovation Awards. Companies are encouraged to nominate their products and solutions in seven categories for the winning title, which will be announced at the United Fresh 2020 Convention & Expo, June 16-19 in San Diego. “The pace of innovation in the fresh produce […]
New Magic Fruity Pebbles Available In Time For National Cereal Day
Lakeville, Minnesota-based Post Consumer Brands is releasing a new, limited-edition Magic Fruity Pebbles cereal in celebration of National Cereal Day on March 7. Inspired by the Flintstone family’s pink dinosaur Dino, this hot pink, crispy rice cereal turns milk blue. The limited-edition Magic Fruity Pebbles are also gluten-free. “The Pebbles brand is always looking for […]
AEB CEO Announces Plans To Step Down In 2nd Quarter
American Egg Board President and CEO Anne Alonzo has shared with AEB members and staff her decision to step down from office in mid-April 2020. She was afforded an opportunity to join an agribusiness company in a key role out of its Washington, D.C., office. In sharing the news with the board, AEB Chair Jeff […]
NCA Names Members Of 2020 Future Leadership Class
The National Confectioners Association (NCA) recently announced its five-member class for the 2020 Future Leadership Program, which is dedicated to helping young professionals access networking and professional development opportunities. “The Future Leadership Program creates incredible opportunities for young people in the confectionery industry,” said John Downs, NCA president and CEO. “Our last class of future […]
Morning Consult Reveals Most Trusted Brands of 2020
The United States Postal Service, Amazon and Google rank as the top three most trusted brands in the country, according to the inaugural Most Trusted Brands report from data intelligence company Morning Consult. The report, the largest study of its kind, features an average of 16,700 interviews per brand for nearly 2,000 brands. It also […]
Product Of The Year USA Honors 2020 Award Winners
Product of the Year USA, the largest consumer-voted award for product innovation, has named the winners of the 2020 Product of the Year Awards. With winners across 41 unique categories, the innovative products were awarded Product of the Year through a national study of 40,000 consumers conducted by Kantar, a global leader in consumer research. Designed to champion brands […]
Meat Industry Leaders Honored At Annual Awards Ceremony At 2020 IPPE
The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) honored industry leaders and member companies at its Annual Awards Ceremony and Luncheon during the 2020 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) held Jan. 28-30 in Atlanta. “The Meat Institute congratulates these exemplary individuals and companies for their impressive achievements” said NAMI President and CEO Julie Anna Potts. “Their […]
2020: NGA Reveals Creative Choice Awards Category Winners
The National Grocers Association (NGA) has revealed this year’s winners in its Creative Choice Awards contest, sponsored by Kellogg’s and Unilever. The contest honors the best marketing and merchandising campaigns in the grocery industry that positively impact sales, benefit the community and stand out creatively. Entries are judged by a panel of 26 industry experts. The Creative […]
Lakeview Capital Inc. Acquires The Mochi Ice Cream Co.
An investment fund managed by Lakeview Capital Inc., a Michigan-based family office, has closed its acquisition of The Mochi Ice Cream Co., makers of My/Mo Mochi Ice Cream and the largest branded manufacturer of mochi ice cream in North America. Lakeview Capital Inc. acquired the company from Century Park Capital Partners. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, My/Mo Mochi […]
Visual Merchandising Icon Martin M. Pegler Dies At 97
The International Housewares Association has announced that Gia Expert Juror Martin M. Pegler died Jan. 17, 2020, peacefully at his home in New York surrounded by his family. He was 97. A professor for 30 years in the Display & Exhibit Design Department at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, Pegler was instrumental […]
