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 […]
Category: National
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 […]