The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) and its member companies participated in the 148th White House Easter Egg Roll, bringing fresh produce and floral displays to one of the nation’s most recognized traditions. Held on the South Lawn and dating back to 1878, the public event is the largest hosted each year at the White […]
Category: National
Posted inGuest Contributors, Featured News, National, News
Leadership Lessons For Grocery Industry From Lou Holtz
Leadership wisdom often comes from unexpected places. One of the most respected leadership voices in American sports is the late Lou Holtz, who we lost in March. The legendary college football coach was known for turning struggling programs into championship teams. While his career unfolded on football fields rather than grocery aisles, the leadership lessons […]
Posted inMarketing News, National, News, Walmart
Walmart, Sam’s Club Launch Annual Fight Hunger. Spark Change. Campaign
Walmart and Sam’s Club have launched the 13th annual Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign at all U.S. stores and club locations. The cause marketing initiative runs through May 3, with the goal of providing people facing hunger access to food and resources through Feeding America’s network of local food banks. Since its inception in 2014, […]
Posted inC-Store News, Association News, National, News
NACS Adds Four New Hires To Leadership Teams
NACS, the national association for convenience and fuel retailers, welcomed four new team members in recent weeks across fundraising, accounting, digital marketing and editorial roles. Ali Dunne joined the NACS Foundation on April 8 as director of fundraising and partnerships. She previously served as senior manager of strategic alliances at First Book. Dunne has a […]
Posted inPackaging News, Equipment & Technology, Meat/Seafood/Poultry, National, News
Chef Robotics Expands AI-Powered Automation Into Meatpacking
Chef Robotics, a San Francisco-based food robotics company, has expanded its artificial intelligence-driven automation platform to handle tray assembly for meatpacking. The system can assemble raw, frozen and precooked proteins – including pork loin fillets, chicken breasts, steaks, lamb chops, bratwursts and sausage links – onto trays before packaging. Tray assembly for proteins has been […]
Posted inSupply Chain News, National, News
NRF: Middle East Conflict Fuel Costs Pressuring Imports
U.S. container port volumes are not being significantly disrupted by the conflict in the Middle East, but rising fuel costs tied to the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz could eventually affect retailers and consumers, according to the latest Global Port Tracker report from the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates. “Just because retailers don’t […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Association News, Featured News, National, News
Chicago Selected As Home Of NCSA’s Candy Hall Of Fame Experience
The National Confectionery Sales Association (NCSA) has selected Chicago as the permanent home of the Candy Hall of Fame Experience, a 60,000-square-foot, multi-level facility set to open in summer 2027 at 830 N. Michigan Ave. on the city’s Magnificent Mile. Chicago was chosen over Orlando and New York City following a national evaluation. The city’s […]
Posted inCenter Store, Beverage News, Featured News, National, News, Snacks Brands
Circana Names 2025 U.S. CPG Growth Leaders
Circana has released its 14th annual U.S. CPG Growth Leaders report, identifying the top-performing consumer-packaged goods companies across five revenue tiers. The 2025 analysis found that private label and smaller manufacturers generating under $1 billion in annual sales are gaining market share, while retail food and beverage sales grew 3 percent and non-food sales slowed […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Featured News, Finance News, Grocery Research, National, News
Survey: Consumers Spend 37% Of Grocery Budget At Independent Stores
Americans spend a larger share of their grocery budget at independent stores than in any other retail category, according to a new survey from OnDeck in partnership with research consultancy Censuswide. The finding underscores the role independent grocers play in local economies even as consumers navigate an era of online convenience and corporate scale. The […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Featured News, National, News
USDA Invests $2M In Invasive Catfish Processing Facilities In MD, IL
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded $2 million to two seafood processors in Maryland and Illinois to expand capacity for processing invasive, wild-caught catfish. Issued through the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program, the grants are aimed at reducing invasive catfish populations – particularly in Chesapeake Bay – while creating economic opportunity in rural […]
Posted inGrocery Research, Featured News, Finance News, National, News
Report: Grocery Price Growth Easing As Egg Prices Drive Breakfast Costs Down
DoorDash has released its first quarterly State of Local Commerce update, drawing on millions of transactions across restaurants, grocery stores and everyday goods to offer a view of how prices are shifting across the U.S. The headline finding for grocery retailers: the Breakfast Basics Index is down 22.3 percent year over year, driven largely by […]
Posted inBakery News, Center Store, National, New Products, News
Toufayan Bakeries Launches Seed Oil-Free Wraps Nationwide
Toufayan Bakeries, the Ridgefield, New Jersey-based family-owned bakery, has made its full line of seed oil-free wraps available nationally and on Amazon. The wraps, made with avocado oil in place of traditional seed oils, come in five varieties: Classic, Whole Wheat, Sundried Tomato, Garlic Pesto and Savory Spinach. The launch taps into growing consumer demand […]
Posted inBeverage News, Featured News, National, News, Packaging News
Coca-Cola Preps For America250 With New Packaging, Community Initiatives
The Coca-Cola Co. is rolling out a nationwide celebration to mark the U.S. 250th anniversary, combining limited-edition packaging, a public art initiative and a goal of generating 250,000 volunteer hours in 2026. As an America250 signature partner, Coca-Cola will anchor the campaign with its first collectible America250 mini-cans. Each design is unique to one of […]
Posted inAssociation News, National, News, Produce News, Supply Chain News
CBP Building Centralized Refund System for IEEPA Tariff Duties
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is developing a centralized system to refund duties collected under tariffs imposed through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which the Supreme Court struck down in February. The agency expects the refund mechanism to be operational later this spring. The refund process is being built within CBP’s Automated Commercial Environment, […]
Posted inBakery News, National, New Products, News
King’s Hawaiian Launches Ube Coconut Sweet Rolls Nationwide
King’s Hawaiian’s first limited-time flavor, Ube Coconut Sweet Rolls, is arriving at grocery shelves nationwide. Made with ube – a purple yam originating in the Philippines – and coconut milk, the rolls feature a lavender hue and sweet flavor often described as a blend of vanilla, coconut and pistachio. The product contains no artificial dyes […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Ahold Delhaize, Featured News, Finance News, National, News
Ahold Delhaize USA Rolls Out Pay By Bank Option For Online Orders
Ahold Delhaize USA has expanded its partnership with Fiserv to offer Pay by Bank on its omnichannel platform, giving online customers the option to pay directly from their bank accounts. The solution is live on the e-commerce websites and mobile apps of three Ahold Delhaize USA brands – The Giant Co., Giant Food and Stop […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, National, News
RELEX Launches Franchise Pricing To Protect Margins Across Networks
RELEX Solutions has launched RELEX Franchise Pricing, a new capability that enables franchisors to optimize pricing across company-owned stores and franchise locations within a single platform. The tool is available as an enhancement to RELEX Price Optimization within the company’s pricing and promotions suite. The solution is designed for organizations operating hybrid retail models – […]
Posted inMerchandising News, Featured News, Finance News, Grocery Research, National, News, Private Label Brands
Poll: 88% Of Americans Adjusting Financial Behavior As Grocery Prices Rise
Nearly nine in 10 Americans have made at least one adjustment to their financial behavior in response to economic pressures, with grocery prices ranking as the No. 1 concern, according to KeyBank’s 2026 Financial Mobility Survey Pulse Poll. The survey of 1,000 Americans ages 18-70, conducted by Schmidt Market Research in January, found that 58 […]
Posted inCenter Store, National, News
Kraft Heinz Becomes NFL’s First Condiment Partner In Five-Year Global Deal
The Kraft Heinz Co. and the National Football League have announced a five-year global strategic partnership, making Kraft Heinz the league’s first global condiment partner. The deal brings a broad portfolio of Kraft Heinz brands – including Heinz, Kraft, Velveeta, Philadelphia, Kraft Mac & Cheese, Primal Kitchen, Classico and A1 – into the center of the […]
Posted inExecutive News, Associated Wholesale Grocers, Featured News, National, News
AWG Taps Former Kroger Division Leader As COO
Associated Wholesale Grocers has appointed Joe Kelley as COO, effective May 4, overseeing merchandising, procurement, distribution, sales, marketing and division support center operations across AWG’s 33-state footprint. Kelley comes from Kroger, where he most recently served as SVP of retail divisions, leading 11 divisions across the central and western United States. His grocery career began […]