Wawa and Costco are consumers’ favorite places to fill up their gas tanks, according to a study by Market Force Information. Nearly 7,000 consumers were polled for the study, which was designed to uncover where consumers prefer to fuel up and why they prefer one chain to another, as well as trends in mobile app […]
Category: National
Greenpeace Again Names Whole Foods Tops For Seafood Sustainability
For the third consecutive year, Greenpeace named Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Market the top retailer for seafood sustainability in the nonprofit’s annual ranking of U.S. supermarkets. The company earned the highest overall score in the report’s nine-year history, as well as the highest individual scores for transparency, purchasing policies and private label canned tuna sourcing. […]
Lay’s ‘Do Us A Flavor’ Finalists Revealed
Out of millions of submissions from fans across America, Lay’s, one of the marquee brands from PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division, has unveiled the four finalist flavors competing for a $1 million grand prize in the Lay’s “Do Us A Flavor” contest: Lay’s Wavy West Coast Truffle Fries, Lay’s Southern Biscuits and Gravy, Lay’s New York Reuben […]
Study: Fears About Ingredients Driving Shopper Behavior In Food, Personal Care Categories
With consumer fears escalating about potentially harmful ingredients in food and personal care products, a new survey from Daymon Worldwide reveals that 40 percent of consumers have lost enjoyment of the foods they eat due to safety and quality concerns, and many are actively seeking stores that offer product alternatives. Nearly twice as many parents […]
Texas Businessman Invests In Blue Bell
In a sign that it may be facing financial trouble from the fallout of its all-product recall earlier this year, Blue Bell Creameries says that prominent Texas business investor Sid Bass has become an investor and partner with the Brenham-based company. Blue Bell products have yet to return to store shelves. “We are pleased Sid […]
Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board Members Appointed
U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack has appointed eight members to fill vacancies on the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board. The terms for these appointees began July 1 and expire on June 30, 2018. Newly appointed members are: Brian Linney, Sterling, Virginia (Region 3); Greg Schwarz, Dallas, Texas (Region 8); John Cox, Millersville, Pennsylvania (Region […]
Lean Cuisine Brand Gets A Makeover
The Lean Cuisine brand says it is reintroducing itself as a modern eating brand and ally for women’s wellness. No longer focused on diet, the Lean Cuisine brand relied on insights from hundreds of women as it evolved to reflect a shift in the way Americans—primarily women—are eating and shopping. Women want chef-inspired, ethnic dishes […]
Menu Labeling Rule Compliance Date Extended For One Year
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has provided a one-year delay to the date restaurants—and those deemed by FDA to be “similar retail food establishments”—would be required to apply the final chain restaurant menu-labeling rule. The menu labeling rule requires chain restaurants and similar retail food establishments with 20 or more locations to list calorie information […]
Blue Bell To Begin Test Production In Coming Weeks
Blue Bell Creameries has notified the FDA and state health officials in Alabama that it hopes to begin test production of ice cream at its Sylacauga facility in the next several weeks. When production resumes at the Alabama plant, it will be on a limited basis as the company seeks to confirm that new procedures, […]
Albertsons Looks To Go Public
Albertsons Cos. Inc. has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering of shares of its common stock. The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering have not yet been determined. The announcement comes just months after Albertsons merged with […]
Mass Merchants, Grocers Top Nation’s Largest Retailers List
The nation’s largest retailers, as ranked by the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) STORES Magazine, as well as Kantar Retail, have collectively held their top spots thanks to one common denominator: a customer-centric, omnichannel focused business model. The annual ranking of U.S. retailers by domestic sales, is featured in the July issue of STORES Magazine. The […]
NGA Expresses Disappointment On Overtime Rule
The National Grocers Association (NGA) is not pleased with the a proposed rule—set to be published Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)—that raises the salary threshold in which a worker is qualified for overtime pay. The change to the overtime pay law dramatically expands the number of people who will qualify for increased pay […]
Anchor Wins 2015 Design Excellence Award
The Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) recently reviewed nearly 100 entries for all types of packaging, including food, beverage, pharmaceutical and health and beauty, and chose Anchor Packaging’s Embraceable as a winner of the 2015 AmeriStar Design Excellence Award. All entries were judged on innovation, product protection, economics, performance, marketing and environmental impact. IoPP’s AmeriStar […]
Feeding America Appoints CEO
Feeding America will soon get a new leader. Diana Aviv, who currently serves as president and CEO of Independent Sector, the national leadership network for America’s nonprofits, foundations and corporate giving programs, will become CEO of Feeding America on Oct. 1. Aviv has led nonprofit organizations in their efforts to serve low-income and vulnerable people […]
Kroger’s President And COO Retires
The Kroger Co.’s president and COO, Mike Ellis, has retired after 40 years with the company. Ellis joined Fred Meyer in 1975 as a parcel clerk at age 16, and went on to serve in a series of operations and merchandising leadership positions in stores, division management and as a corporate officer. He was VP […]
Jack Link’s Debuts Five ‘Wild Side’ Sausage Varieties At Walmart
Jack Link’s Protein Snacks has introduced Jack Link’s Wild Side Sausage line. The Minong, Wisconsin-based company says the new sausages feature “unexpected” ingredients that range from handcrafted bacon jerky to hardwood-smoked beef and pork to spicy jalapeño peppers. Jack Link’s Wild Side Sausage line sausages are fully cooked and available in five varieties: Original Hardwood Smoked […]
7-Eleven Adds Premium Lines To Private Brand Offering
7-Eleven is adding two premium lines, 7-SelectGO!Yum and 7-SelectGO!Smart, to its 7-Select private brand offering, which first rolled out in 2013. The new line extensions satisfy consumer requests for variety in both indulgent and better-for-you products, according to the Dallas, Texas-based convenience store chain. “We set out to surpass customer expectations with products exclusively available […]
Photo Bomb Promotion Celebrates 10th National Bomb Pop Day
In honor of the 10th anniversary of National Bomb Pop Day, the iconic red, white and blue frozen ice pop is giving consumers the opportunity to win with the first ever Photo Bomb Pop (a.k.a. #PhotoBombPop) promotion. From June 25—which was National Bomb Pop Day—through July 9, consumers can submit their original photo bomb featuring a […]
Ahold And Delhaize Coming Together In $29B Merger
Ahold and Delhaize said this morning that they intend to “combine their businesses through a merger of equals.” The combined company, valued at approximately $29 billion based on closing share prices Tuesday, will be known as Ahold Delhaize and create a “complementary base” of more than 6,500 stores with 375,000 associates, according to the Europe-based […]
Anheuser-Busch To Invest More Than $1.5B In U.S. Operations By 2018
Anheuser-Busch plans to invest more than $1.5 billion in its U.S. brewing, agriculture, packaging and distributing operations by 2018. These investments, according to the St. Louis-based beer company, will support growth of its brands and reinforce its commitment to the U.S. communities where it operates through local spending and jobs. The company plans to spend […]
