Maine and Rhode Island, as well as Oregon, are states where Dollar General expects to set up shop for the first time in 2015. The Tennessee-based retailer made those plans known Thursday while reporting its fiscal 2014 third quarter results. “For 2015, we have plans to open 730 new stores and will have a presence […]
Category: National
Posted in, Midwest, National, New Products, Organic Natural
Hickory Harvest Foods Introduces Organic Snack Line
Hickory Harvest Foods has rolled out a new organic snacks product line in response to the consumer trend for healthier snack options, the Akron, Ohio-based company says. The new line features 13 of the most requested organic snack products, available in tubs for the grocery and food distributor market. “The popularity of organic nuts and […]
Posted in, Grocery News, National
Top 10 Specialty Food Trends For 2015 Predicted
Consumers will seek more from their food in 2015, whether stronger flavors, alternative sweeteners or snacks made with everything from plant-based meat to even marijuana. That’s according to predictions from the editors of Specialty Food News, the daily newsletter from the Specialty Food Association. The $88.3 billion specialty food industry is driven by innovation and […]
Posted in, National, New Products, Produce News
Ready Pac Rolls Out Line Of Complete Salad Kits
Ready Pac Foods has launched a series of solutions for the dinner table. Ready Pac says its Cranberry Pomegranate Complete Salad Kit, Autumn Harvest Complete Salad Kit and Thai Complete Salad Kit will make holiday meals easy and delicious. “It’s amazing what a shared meal can do to bring us closer together,” says Tristan Simpson, […]
Posted in, Executive News, National, Northeast, Suppliers
Mars Chocolate Promotes Timothy LeBel To VP Of Sales
Mars Chocolate North America has promoted Timothy LeBel to VP of sales. In his new role leading the Mars Chocolate sales organization, LeBel will oversee the strategy and execution of the group’s retail management, customer account teams, field sales, customer development and customer experiences. He serves as a member of the New Jersey-based company’s senior […]
Posted in, National, Store News
Cyber Monday Sales Break Record, Day Marks Most Online Orders For Walmart
E-commerce sales on the Monday after Thanksgiving hit $2.04 billion, up 17 percent compared to a year ago, according to analytics firm comScore, making it the biggest online shopping day ever, and the first to surpass $2 billion in sales. Not surprisingly, Walmart says that Cyber Monday was the biggest online day in its history […]
Posted in, Independent Store News, National, Southeast
Alliance Retail Group Grows To More Than 600 Stores
The number of independent supermarkets served by Alliance Retail Group (ARG) now totals more than 600, the Tennessee-based group said this week. These stores represent the largest independent self-negotiating group in the country with locations in 19 states and a combined retail volume of more than $3.5 billion. “With the opening of our office in […]
Posted in, Center Store, National, New Products, Suppliers
Keurig Green Mountain And Community Coffee Form Partnership
Keurig Green Mountain, a leader in specialty coffee, coffee makers, teas and other beverages with its brewing technology, and Community Coffee Co., the largest family-owned and -operated retail coffee brand in America, have reached a multi-year licensing, manufacturing and distribution agreement to bring Community coffee to Keurig portion pack formats for consumer and commercial Keurig […]
Posted in, Independent Store News, National
All 1,150 IGA Stores In U.S. Now Members Of NGA
Every IGA location in the U.S. is now a member of the National Grocers Association (NGA). There are 1,150 IGA stores across the nation. “IGA and NGA have had a long-established relationship that over the years has allowed us to work together for the benefit of IGA’s independent retailers and NGA,” said IGA CEO Mark […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Kellogg’s Adds Seven New Varieties To Cereal Lineup
Kellogg Co. is boosting its U.S. cereal lineup with seven new offerings, highlighting innovative ingredients, more protein, less sugar and options that are gluten free, according to the company. New products include: • Special K Protein Cinnamon Brown Sugar Crunch cereal provides a a crunchy shape and 11g of protein with a half-cup of skim […]
Posted in, National, New Products, Suppliers
John Soules Foods Rolls Out Line Of Fully Cooked Dr Pepper Wings And BBQ
Fajita brand John Soules Foods, with Dr Pepper, has created a new line of fully cooked Dr Pepper flavored Wings and BBQ. “We think it’s high time the two great Texas tastes of John Soules Foods and Dr Pepper came together,” said John Soules Jr., co-CEO of John Soules Foods. “We are excited to add […]
Posted in, Equipment & Technology, Executive News, National
Fleet Advantage Adds Chief Technology Officer To Executive Team
Fleet Advantage, a leading innovator in truck fleet business analytics, equipment financing and lifecycle cost management, has named industry and IT veteran James C. Griffin Jr. its chief technology officer. Griffin will play an integral role in advancing Fleet Advantage’s overall IT strategy and will provide senior leadership and oversight of the company’s technology infrastructure, […]
Posted in, Beverage News, National, Suppliers
Pabst Brewing Co. Completes Sale To Blue Ribbon
Pabst Brewing Co., North America’s largest privately held brewing company, has completed its sale to Blue Ribbon Intermediate Holdings. Blue Ribbon is a partnership between American beer entrepreneur Eugene Kashper and San Francisco-based TSG Consumer Partners, a leading investor in growth consumer brands. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. “We are thrilled to complete […]
Posted in, Center Store, National, New Products
Extend Nutrition Rolls Out Sugar- And Gluten-Free Protein Bars
Extend Nutrition has released its new sugar-free and gluten-free protein bars that are clinically proven to help control blood sugar for six to nine hours, according to the St. Louis-based company. The new Cookies & Cream and Chocolate & Caramel bars currently are available at extendbar.com, with retail sales to begin later this year. The […]
Posted in, Meat/Seafood/Poultry, National, New Products, Perishables, Suppliers
Smithfield Farmland Launches Premium All-Natural Fresh Pork Line
Smithfield Farmland is introducing Prime, a premium all-natural fresh pork line that the Virginia-based company says raises the bar for fresh pork under both its Smithfield and Farmland brands. The primary goal of the Prime program is to offer retailers a top-of-the-line fresh pork product in the retail meat case that provides consumers with a […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Executive News, National
Aldi Promotes Jason Hart To CEO Of U.S. Operations
Aldi Inc. has promoted Aldi U.S. President Jason Hart to CEO of its U.S. operations, effective April 1, 2015. The company says the move supports its further expansion in both the U.S. and internationally. Hart will be supported by Chuck Youngstrom and David Behm, who will continue in their roles of co-presidents for Aldi U.S. […]
Posted in, Marketing News, National, Online Grocery Technology
FMI Study Scans Perceptions Among Grocery App Users
A new study finds that the more active a shopper is with social media, the less likely it is that shopper will use a grocery retailer’s app in a store. The study, from the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and Saint Joseph’s University, also finds that shoppers with large grocery expenditures were most active in utilization […]
Posted in, National, New Products
Wonderfully Raw Rolls Out Dipperz
Wonderully Raw is introducing Dipperz as part of its 2015 product line. Dipperz are the first pre-dipped and ready-to-munch broccoli, cauliflower and carrot crunchies that pack a pound of pre-dipped veggies into 1.5-oz. packages, according to the California-based company. Dipperz are available in three flavors: Cheezy, Ranch and Lemongrass Chili. The product has 120 calories […]
Posted in, Grocery News, National, Suppliers
Gluten-Free Foods Surge 63 Percent In Last Two Years
These days it seems that grocery shelves are exploding with gluten-free choices, due in large part to greater awareness of a gluten-free diet as a result of increasing diagnoses of celiac disease and other gluten sensitivities as well as the diet’s perceived health benefits. It’s little surprise, then, that recent Mintel research finds the gluten-free food […]
Posted in, National, Produce News
The Produce Mom Hosting #HealthyThanksgiving Twitter Party On Wednesday
Thanksgiving’s nearly here, and moms who are trying to offer up a “wow” factor along with their healthy Thanksgiving feasts may find it more of a challenge than a celebration. For fresh, family-friendly holiday meal ideas with pizzazz, The Produce Mom and her partners are hosting a #HealthyThanksgiving Twitter party at 9 p.m. (ET) Wednesday, […]