7-Eleven has promoted Jack Stout, SVP of merchandising, to SVP of merchandising, marketing and demand chain. Stout succeeds Jesus Delgado Jenkins, former EVP and chief merchandising officer, who retired in June. Stout is responsible for the company’s merchandising operations, category management, new product introductions, new category and profit center development, store sets, marketing and merchandise […]
Category: National
Posted inPackaging News, Amazon Fresh, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Snacks Brands, Suppliers, Whole Foods
Frito-Lay Brings A Twist To Lunch Notes With New Chip Bag Packaging
As summer comes to a close, parents face the transition from relaxed schedules to the structure and routine that the schoolyear brings. In a twist to the common notion that parents can’t wait for back-to-school and students dread it, some statistics suggest otherwise: kids look forward to getting back to school, and many parents struggle […]
Posted inBeverage News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, National, New Products, Suppliers
V8 Introduces New Plant-Powered Beverage With Sweet Potatoes
Campbell Soup Co., maker of V8, is launching V8+Hydrate, a new plant-based beverage featuring sweet potato juice. “This category-changing beverage taps into the naturally occurring electrolytes and glucose of the sweet potato and perfectly blends it with water—creating an isotonic beverage that quickly replenishes fluids and nutrients,” says Campbell. With 45 calories in each 8-oz. can, V8+Hydrate contains one full […]
Posted inPackaging News, Corporate Store News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Store News, Sustainability News
Kroger To Phase Out Single-Use Plastic Bags By 2025
The Kroger Co. on Aug. 23 announced it will phase out single-use plastic bags and transition to reusable bags across its family of stores by 2025. Seattle-based QFC will be the company’s first retail division to phase out plastic bags, and Kroger expects QFC’s transition to be completed in 2019. “As part of our Zero Hunger […]
Posted inNational, Deli News, Food Service News, Grocery News, Meat/Seafood/Poultry
Chicken Presents Opportunity For Sales Growth Across The Store
The old saying warns us not to count chickens, but for the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, measuring chicken sales is essential to the bottom line. From the meat department to deli to dairy and more, chicken is an important product driving a total of $26.2 billion in annual sales in the U.S. But chicken’s […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Aldi, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Store News, Sustainability News
Whole Foods, Hy-Vee, Aldi Top Seafood Sustainability Rankings
Greenpeace recently released its 2018 “Carting Away the Oceans” (CATO) report, ranking Whole Foods, Hy-Vee and Aldi the top three retailers out of the 22 largest supermarket chains in the U.S. for their seafood sustainability efforts. Target came in at No. 4, rounding out the retailers in this year’s “best” category. Since 2008, Greenpeace has evaluated […]
Posted inDairy News, Grocery News, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, National, Shelby Content
Milk’s Missed Opportunity
by Cindy Sorensen/founder and CEO, The Grocery Group With approximately 96 percent of all households purchasing milk, it holds an enviable spot in consumers’ shopping baskets and refrigerators. There is only one other category that can claim a higher household penetration, and that is toilet paper. But milk’s stronghold with consumers is fading. As competition […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Shelby Content
HR & Benefits News: Key To Success—Hire & Keep The Best People
HR & Benefits News is a monthly column by Chris Cooley, co-founder of MyHRConcierge and SMB Benefits Advisors. It’s no secret, hiring and keeping workers has significant impact on independent grocers. Its impact is second only to “competition from other retailers” say independent grocers who participated in the 2018 Independent Grocers Financial Survey prepared by […]
Posted inIndustry News, Grocery Store Equipment, Grocery Store Layout, Home Page Latest News, National
Long Lines, Slow Checkout Lower Shopper Satisfaction And Revenue
Technology company Digimarc Corp. has released findings from a commissioned survey revealing that long lines and poor checkout experiences reduce shopper morale, and are significant reasons for why consumers would shop elsewhere or shift to buying groceries online. Key findings from study include: Line length and the checkout experience has become as important as price […]
Posted inPackaging News, Beverage News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, New Products, Suppliers
S.Pellegrino Rolling Out Canned Sparkling Water
S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water is introducing cans to its product lineup. “Delivering the same refreshing mix of gentle bubbles and fine mineral balance customers know and love, the new S.Pellegrino cans are a fun and tasteful new way to enhance any dining occasion, from an alfresco dinner to a sunset picnic,” the company says. […]
Posted in, Home Page Latest News, National, Store News
Holiday Timing Snaps Weis Markets’ Consecutive Sales Increases
Weis Markets’ second quarter sales totaled $871.1 million vs. $876.6 million for the same period in 2017. The sales drop snapped a 16-consecutive-quarter streak of rising store sales. According to Weis, the company’s second quarter sales were adversely affected by the Easter holiday shift, since the 2018 Easter sales week fell on the last week of […]
Posted inAssociation News, Home Page Latest News, National
Release Of Retailer SNAP Data Imminent
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has denied the Food Marketing Institute’s (FMI) request to withhold annual individual store SNAP redemption information. Following this decision, FMI immediately filed an application for a stay in the U.S. Supreme Court. “Given the significant case load of the Court, we believe it is highly unlikely the stay will […]
Posted inHealth & Wellness, Albertsons, Corporate Store News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, National, Store News
Albertsons And Rite Aid Terminating Their Merger Agreement
Albertsons Cos. Inc. and Rite Aid Corp. have mutually agreed to terminate their previously announced plans to merge. In a statement, Albertsons said it believes that the strategic rationale of the Rite Aid combination was compelling, including the $375 million of cost synergies and $3.6 billion of identified revenue opportunities. “We disagree with the conclusion […]
Posted inDeli News, Aldi, Bakery News, Corporate Store News, Grocery News, Grocery Store Layout, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, Meat/Seafood/Poultry, Merchandising News, National, Produce News, Store News
Aldi Growing Its Fresh Offerings By 40 Percent
Aldi announced Aug. 9 its plan to deliver more of the fresh products customers want most, including fresh, organic and easy-to-prepare options. By the time the nationwide fresh product rollout is completed in early 2019, about 20 percent of products in every Aldi store will be new compared to the previous year. Aldi is increasing […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Equipment & Technology, Guest Contributors, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Shelby Content
The Top Four Reasons Self-Checkout Fails In Grocery
(And why line-free mobile checkout is the future) by Will Hogben/ CEO, FutureProof Retail The first iteration of what we now call “self-checkout” in the grocery industry was launched at the Food Marketing Institute’s annual convention in 1987. The “Automatic Checkout Machine” was unveiled by a Florida company called CheckRobot, and it was received well, […]
Posted inAssociation News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Meat/Seafood/Poultry, National
National Chicken Council Launches Virtual Reality Chicken Production Tour
As per capita chicken consumption breaks a new record in 2018 and consumers express a growing interest in where their food comes from, the National Chicken Council (NCC), which represents the U.S. broiler chicken industry, has developed a series of 360° virtual reality videos showing the various stages of a chicken’s life during modern, commercial production. The […]
Posted inExecutive News, Association News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, Meat/Seafood/Poultry, National
NAMI Scholarship Foundation Establishes Ron Gustafson Scholarship
The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) Scholarship Foundation in late June established the Ron Gustafson Scholarship, a $5,000 award honoring Scholarship Foundation Founding President and meat industry leader Ron Gustafson. Each year, the foundation awards scholarships to eligible sophomores, juniors and seniors attending accredited four-year colleges or universities who are enrolled in an approved animal, […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Amazon Fresh, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Whole Foods
Study: Online Grocery Is The Supermarket’s Business To Lose
Online grocery spending has reached 5.5 percent of total grocery spending in the U.S., according to a new study by strategic advisory firm Brick Meets Click, based on a survey of nearly 5,000 online consumers conducted in May 2018. Most of this growth is driven by existing online grocery shoppers placing larger orders. Supermarkets are in […]
Posted inGrocery News, Health & Wellness, Home Page Latest News, Industry News, National, Produce News
Double Up SNAP Incentives Expand To Grocery Stores In Five States
Nonprofit organization Fair Food Network has received $1.5 million in new federal support to expand the Double Up Food Bucks produce incentive program to grocery stores in five states, reaching nearly 1 million SNAP recipients. Produce incentives boost the value of SNAP benefits when spent on fruits and vegetables. This funding will launch Double Up at independent […]
Posted inDeli News, Grocery News, Home Page Latest News, National
The Real Reason Shoppers Don’t Connect With Deli
Sponsored content by Tyson Foods Inc. Shoppers say dinner is the most important meal of the day, but they also admit when the clock is ticking into the later afternoon and there’s no dinner plan, deli rarely enters into their consideration sets. Changing deli’s focus from foods to meals According to Eric LeBlanc, director of […]