FMI – The Food Industry Association appointed four new directors to its board of directors Jan. 23 during the organization’s annual Midwinter Executive Conference in Chula Vista, California. The appointees are Jason Buechel of Amazon.com Inc.; John Foraker of Once Upon A Farm; Mark Griffin of B&R Stores Inc.; and Lauren Redman of Newport Avenue […]
Category: National
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Grocery Research, National, News
Online Grocery Sales Surge 32% To Record $12.7B In December
U.S. online grocery sales surged 32 percent year over year in December to a record $12.7 billion, according to the latest Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopper Survey. The record performance reflects higher order frequency, increased spending rates and a larger user base than December 2024. Online share of total grocery spending reached 19 percent, the […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Association News, National, News
Swish Wins Fifth Annual FMItech Pitch Competition
Swish was crowned the winner of the fifth annual FMItech Pitch Competition Jan. 22 during the FMI Midwinter Executive Conference in Chula Vista, California. The technology company powers targeted, automated programmatic sampling by placing full-size products into consumers’ online orders. Twenty-two contestants submitted nominations, which were evaluated by a panel of judges from the food […]
Posted inPrivate Label Brands, Finance News, National, News, UNFI
UNFI Adds 50 Private Label Products Focused On Wellness, Snacking Trends
UNFI is launching nearly 50 new private brand products this month at its Spring and Summer Selling Shows in Long Beach, California, and Orlando Florida, targeting emerging consumer preferences around wellness, snacking and value. The products span the company’s Brands+ portfolio, which includes eight core brands and more than 4,400 SKUs. The launches come as […]
Posted inExecutive News, Association News, National, News
FMI Honors 7 Leaders With 2026 Executive Leadership Awards
FMI – The Food Industry Association recognized seven industry leaders with its 2026 Executive Leadership Awards on Jan. 21 at the Midwinter Executive Conference in Chula Vista, California. The recipients represent Alex Lee, Inc.; Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc.; Market of Choice Inc.; Wakefern Food Corp.; The Clorox Company; Stater Bros. Markets; and Knowlan’s Super […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Association News, National, News
NGA Backs Congressional Push For Antitrust Enforcement
The National Grocers Association is backing a bipartisan congressional effort to investigate discriminatory pricing practices that disadvantage independent grocers. Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Rep. Mike Rulli (R-OH) this week sent letters to the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission urging enforcement action. The letters call for investigation […]
Posted inNews, Executive News, National
Lidl U.S. CEO Rampoldt Steps Down, Giudici Named Interim Successor
Joel Rampoldt is no longer CEO of Lidl U.S., the discount grocery chain confirmed Jan. 22. Rampoldt, who held the position since 2023, is now serving as an advisor to the German-owned company, a spokesperson for the discounter said in an emailed statement. Marco Giudici, Lidl U.S.’s chief customer officer and former CEO of Lidl […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Finance News, National, News
Mars Receives Top Honors On Glassdoor’s Best Places Lists
Mars Inc. earned the top spot on Glassdoor’s inaugural Best Places to Work in Manufacturing and Energy list and ranked sixth on the job search and career community’s 2026 Best Places to Work list, the company announced Jan. 21. The awards are determined based on voluntary, anonymous feedback from employees on Glassdoor. McLean, Virginia-based Mars […]
Posted inFrozen Food, Association News, Executive News, National, News
3 Industry Leaders To Join 2026 Frozen Food Hall Of Fame
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-based The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) and the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) have revealed the three industry leaders who will be inducted into the 2026 Frozen Food Hall of Fame. The inductees are Paul DiGenova, general manager of commodities with Nortera; Richard Marks, former chairman of the board of directors […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Finance News, National, News
Smithfield Foods To Acquire Nathan’s Famous For $450M
Smithfield Foods has entered into a merger agreement to acquire Nathan’s Famous Inc. for $102 per share in cash, representing an enterprise value of about $450 million. The transaction will secure Smithfield’s rights to the all-beef hot dog brand into perpetuity. The company has held an exclusive license from Nathan’s Famous since March 2014 to […]
Posted inGrocery Research, Finance News, National, News
Report: Traditional Grocers Losing Shoppers As Fragmentation Accelerates
Traditional grocers are losing their most valuable shoppers in a shift that appears permanent, according to new data from AlixPartners released Jan. 21. Fewer than half of consumers in the survey — 49 percent — say they spent most of their grocery budget at traditional grocers like Kroger, Albertsons, H-E-B and Wegmans in 2025, down […]
Posted inExecutive News, Finance News, Marketing News, National, News
Expana Appoints Harris As CEO, Succeeding Wicks
Expana has appointed Julie Harris as CEO effective Jan. 26, succeeding Spencer Wicks, who will retire Jan. 23 after more than seven years leading the agrifood-focused price reporting agency and market intelligence provider. Harris joins Expana from IWSR, the beverage-alcohol data and insight provider, where she served as CEO and led the company through major […]
Posted inCenter Store, Finance News, National, News
B&G Foods Wins Del Monte Broth Brands For $110M In Bankruptcy Auction
B&G Foods has agreed to acquire Del Monte Foods’ broth and stock business, including the College Inn and Kitchen Basics brands, for about $110 million in cash following a competitive bankruptcy auction. The transaction emerged from Del Monte Foods Corporation II’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, where B&G Foods prevailed as the winning bidder for the […]
Posted inMarketing News, National, News
Acosta Group Forms Alliance With CommerceIQ
Acosta Group’s Connected Commerce team has formed an alliance with CommerceIQ, integrating the artificial intelligence-driven retail platform into its agency services to provide automated decision-making capabilities for consumer brands. The alliance positions Acosta Group Connected Commerce as one of the industry’s first AI-driven agency teams, combining omnichannel execution expertise with CommerceIQ’s automation platform that analyzes […]
Posted inPrivate Label Brands, Association News, Finance News, National, News
U.S. Private Label Sales Hit Record $282.8B In 2025
U.S. store brand sales reached a record $282.8 billion in 2025, climbing 3.3 percent compared to 1.2 percent growth for national brands, according to year-end Circana Unify+ data released Jan. 20 by the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA). The $9 billion increase marks store brands’ continued momentum in capturing market share across all retail channels. […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Merchandising News, National, News
ROFDA Rolls Out National Merchandising Program
Retailer Owned Food Distributors & Associates has launched Aggregated National Merchandising Scale Events, a new capability designed to provide manufacturers with coordinated access to the independent grocery channel through ROFDA’s nine member wholesalers. Beginning this year, ROFDA will execute three coordinated, national-scale merchandising programs across key seasonal windows during summer and fall. The programs will […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, National, News
Crossroads: Where Life And Business Meet
This is the first installment of a new ongoing column in The Shelby Report. We’re calling it Crossroads, in recognition of the intersection between life and business, where all of us – especially independent grocers– truly live. Each month, this column will highlight a moment where life and business collide and attempt to offer insight […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, National, News, The Kroger Co.
Kroger Launches Grocery Delivery Through Uber
Kroger has launched on-demand and same-day delivery through Uber Eats, Uber and Postmates apps at nearly 2,700 stores nationwide, the Cincinnati-based grocer and Uber Technologies announced Jan. 15. Customers can order groceries, Kroger’s Our Brands products and household essentials from Ralphs, Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Smith’s, Fry’s, Harris Teeter, Mariano’s and other Kroger banners through […]
Posted inExecutive News, Corporate Store News, Finance News, National, News, Walmart
Walmart Shares Executive Leadership Changes
Walmart Inc. (Nasdaq: WMT) has announced several executive leadership changes designed to fuel innovation and drive the new era of retail, with all appointments effective Feb. 1. The board of directors has elected new leaders to its executive council, and incoming President and CEO John Furner shared additional organizational changes. “Over my 32 years with […]
Posted inProduce News, Finance News, National, News, West
Mission Produce To Acquire Calavo Growers In $430M Deal
Mission Produce Inc. (NASDAQ: AVO) and Calavo Growers, Inc. (NASDAQ: CVGW) have entered into a definitive agreement under which Mission will acquire Calavo in a cash-and-stock transaction. The transaction would give Mission entrée into the high-growth prepared food segment, complementing its avocado business with Calavo’s value-added, avocado-based prepared foods. In addition to a variety of ready-to-eat […]