Posted inGrocery Store Equipment, National

Relationshop Merging Mercatus Technologies, Stor.ai

Relationshop, a Houston, Texas-based provider of digital engagement solutions for supermarkets and other retail chains, has finalized a merger between Mercatus Technologies and Stor.ai.  The new company will be called Mercatus, in recognition of the equity the e-commerce brand has achieved in the grocery sector, and will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Relationshop. The […]

Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, National

Instacart Introduces Ads On AI-Powered Caper Carts

Instacart is expanding its advertising solutions to Caper Carts, the company’s AI-powered smart carts. The new ads are launching soon at Good Food Holdings’ Bristol Farms stores in Southern California, with additional retail partners rolling out in the months ahead. Ads on Caper Carts will give customers more customized recommendations to help them discover brands […]

Posted inAssociation News, National

Award-Winning Sportscaster Czarniak To Emcee NGA Best Bagger Championship

Award-winning sportscaster Lindsay Czarniak, known for her work covering the NFL, NASCAR and the Olympics, will emcee the National Grocers Association’s annual Best Bagger Championship, sponsored by PepsiCo, at the 2024 NGA Show on March 11, at the Caesars Forum Convention Center in Las Vegas. This is the 38th year that NGA will host the […]

Posted inIndependent Store News, Association News, Guest Contributors, National

Post-Pandemic Holiday Presents Opportunity For Independent Grocers

Humans are social animals. As a species, we crave interaction with others. And the absence of connection is so emotionally crippling, we use solitary confinement as a severe criminal punishment.  Children born in isolation fail to develop emotionally and physically and often are so scared they can never integrate into society as adults. And primates […]

Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, National

RELEX Acquires Optimity For Unified Supply Chain Planning

RELEX Solutions has acquired Optimity, a supply chain planning and optimization provider. “Acquiring Optimity will seamlessly link downstream demand with upstream planning, so consumer goods companies can more accurately predict consumer demand, optimize production plans and schedules, adjust inventory levels and respond quickly to market changes or unexpected disruptions,” said Mikko Kärkkäinen, co-founder and group […]

Posted inExecutive News, Association News, National

NGA Shares Several Senior Staff Promotions

The National Grocers Association (NGA) has promoted three key senior staff executives: Jonathan Downey to COO and SVP; Christopher Jones to chief government relations officer and counsel and SVP; and Laura Strange to chief communications and engagement officer and SVP.  “NGA is fortunate to have a strong and committed group of senior leaders who bring […]

Posted inAssociation News, Guest Contributors, National

By The Numbers, An Advocacy Review And Policy Outlook For Independent Grocers

With an election on the horizon in which the White House and control of Congress are on the line, 2024 is shaping up to be an interesting year. Pending legislation and regulatory changes in the coming year are sure to influence business operations, supply chain management and consumer expectations – and indeed, they’re influencing NGA’s […]