The Foundation for Fresh Produce has named Jelena Gligorijević as chief medical officer, a new position created to expand the influence of the produce industry within the global health and medical communities. Gligorijević is a practicing medical doctor and nutrition specialist with more than three decades of experience in clinical practice, academic instruction and public […]
Category: National
Posted inGrocery Store Equipment, National, News
STCR, SIR Merge Companies, Rebrand To Ravyx
STCR and SIR have announced their merger under a single, unified brand: Ravyx. This evolution represents the next chapter for the companies, bringing together decades of retail expertise, a team of professionals and technology partnerships under one name. Ravyx is more than a rebrand. It’s a signal to the industry that the same trusted teams […]
Posted inCenter Store, National, News
General Mills To Remove Certified Colors From Portfolio By 2026
General Mills plans to remove certified colors from all its U.S. cereals and all kindergarten-12th grade school foods by summer 2026. In addition, the company will work to remove certified colors from its full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027. This change impacts a small portion of General Mills’ K-12 school portfolio, as […]
Posted inProduce News, National, News
Ehlers Receives Spirit Of Ohana Honor From Dole Food Co.
Dole Food Co. has named the recipient of its inaugural “Spirit of ‘Ohana” honor: Evan Ehlers, the founder and CEO of Sharing Excess. This recognition is bestowed upon those who embody the hospitality and community-service themes of the Hawaiian concept of extended family. Dole’s “Spirit of ‘Ohana” initiative aims to encourage others to acknowledge those […]
Posted inAssociation News, National, News
NGA Fresh Summit 2025 Features Innovation, Industry Insight
The National Grocers Association (NGA) brought together independent grocery leaders from across the country June 16-18 for the NGA Fresh Summit in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Over two days of expert-led sessions, store tours and networking, attendees explored strategies to increase profitability in the areas of produce, meat, dairy, deli, bakery and foodservice. The summit opened with […]
Posted inPrivate Label Brands, National, News
Report: Shoppers Ditch Name Brands For Private Label As Prices Increase
A new national survey by RDSolutions reveals that 86 percent of U.S. shoppers have switched to private label products for at least some of the items they regularly purchase – underscoring growing price sensitivity amid inflation and looming global tariffs. Conducted in May among 250 verified U.S. consumers, the survey found that price is the dominant […]
Posted inWholesaler/Distributor News, Food Service News, National, News
US Foods Shares Lineup For Food Fanatics 2025 Show
US Foods Holding Corp. has unveiled programming for its foodservice solutions show, Food Fanatics 2025, set for Aug. 19-20 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Themed “Every Second Counts,” the event will bring together more than 5,000 foodservice operators, culinary professionals, vendors and industry experts for two days of immersive content and experiences designed to provide […]
Posted inInternational Foods, National, Nonfood Items
Packaged Facts: Multicultural Diversity Shaping Today’s Pet Ownership
More than two-thirds (71 percent) of American households have a pet, reports the American Pet Products Association (APPA) in its 2025 Industry Report, as cited by the World Animal Foundation. The market research firm estimates that households with pets total 94 million in 2025, a significant rise from 67 million in 2019. The two most […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, National, News
Leadership: Please, Please Don’t Ignore Me
Below are two monumental pieces of information for those of us in the grocery business to consider in 2025 and beyond: In 2023, the grocery store industry in the United States spent $2.04 billion on advertising, up from $1.94 million a year earlier. That represents an annual increase of about 5 percent. Grocery shopping in […]
Posted inCenter Store, National, News
Kraft Heinz Commits To Remove FD&C Colors By 2027
The Kraft Heinz Co. announced it will not launch any new products in the U.S. with Food, Drug & Cosmetic colors, effective immediately, and will remove the remaining FD&C colors from its U.S. product portfolio before the end of 2027. To date, nearly 90 percent of Kraft Heinz’s U.S. products are free of FD&C colors (by […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, National, News, Walmart
Report: Walmart Captures 24% Of SNAP Shoppers’ Total Spending
Numerator has released The SNAP Evolution: Supporting Shoppers in a Changing Economy, an analysis that explores how shifts in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits are affecting consumer behavior and retail spending. The report leverages behavioral data from more than 31,600 verified SNAP recipients – defined as those who used benefits 12 or more times […]
Posted inSustainability News, Guest Contributors, National, News
Reduce Turnover By Engaging Employees; Cut Costs With Better Resource Management
As shoppers, we know the feeling of a positive shopping experience when helped by an engaged associate. According to Gallup (2023), companies with highly engaged employees provide an enhanced customer experience, increased customer retention, improved shopper satisfaction, stronger word-of-mouth and reduced churn, resulting in 23 percent higher profits. Conversely, disengaged associates cost employers $8.8 trillion […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, National, News, Southeast
ECRS Debuts Integration Between ReciProfity, CATAPULT
ECRS has debuted the new integration between CATAPULT and reciProfity, designed to streamline recipe management, enhance operational efficiency and drive profitability in prepared foods departments. This integration marks the first time a food costing system has connected to CATAPULT through the ECRS Gateway platform. By enabling real-time syncing of food costs and on-hand inventory, retailers can access […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Corporate Store News, National, News
Study Finds Shoppers Stressed By Rising Prices, Inflation, Tariffs
The Feedback Group has released findings from its latest national research study, “Supermarket Shoppers: Rising Prices, Inflation and Tariffs.” The study found that 61 percent of U.S. supermarket shoppers report feeling stressed about rising grocery prices. This stress is especially pronounced among younger and middle-age shoppers – Generation X (70 percent), Millennials (67 percent) and […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, National, News
High Liner Foods Acquires Mrs. Paul’s, Van de Kamp Brands From Conagra
High Liner Foods Inc., a North American frozen seafood company, entered into a purchase agreement June 6 to acquire the Mrs. Paul’s and Van de Kamp’s brands of frozen breaded and battered fish products from Conagra Brands for $55 million, inclusive of about $36 million in inventory. The purchase price is subject to a customary inventory […]
Posted inGrocery Store Equipment, National, News
LOC Software, Diebold Nixdorf Partner On Combined Checkout Solution
LOC Software and Diebold Nixdorf, a global provider of checkout technology solutions, have partnered to simplify self-checkout solution implementation for retailers and enhance customer experiences with a user-friendly system. LOC’s ThriVersA software runs natively on Diebold Nixdorf’s self-checkout and kiosk systems, which will be mainly manufactured at the company’s global headquarters in North Canton, Ohio. […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Corporate Store News, National, News
Shifting Plates: How Inflation, Gen Z Are Reshaping Grocery Baskets
Rising grocery prices are influencing American consumption habits, compelling consumers to embrace recipes, private labels and more economical protein choices to maximize their spending. New data from Chicory reveals that inflation and economic uncertainty, exacerbated by tariffs, are shaping what consumers are buying and preparing for meals in 2025. According to Chicory’s “Economic Sentiment Report,” […]
Posted inExecutive News, Association News, Frozen Food, National, News
2 Leaders To Be Inducted Into 2025 NFRA Refrigerated Food Hall Of Fame
Two industry leaders will be inducted into the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association’s (NFRA) Refrigerated Food Hall of Fame during the 2025 NFRA Convention on Oct. 20 at the World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida. The hall of fame was established in 2010 to recognize those whose passion and leadership have advanced the refrigerated […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, National, News
IFPA CEO Rallies Industry To ‘Fight for Fresh’
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) gathered fresh produce and floral industry leaders June 9-11 for The Washington Conference. Addressing attendees before they met with more than 185 congressional offices, IFPA CEO Cathy Burns called on the industry to join in the “Fight for Fresh.” “The need to expand our influence, innovate and future proof our industry […]
Posted inPrivate Label Brands, Health & Wellness, National, News, Walmart
Sam’s Club Advances ‘Made Without’ Program
Sam’s Club is making progress with its “Made Without” program as some 96 percent of its Member’s Mark products meet the initiative’s goals. This program focuses on removing more than 40 ingredients, including artificial colors, aspartame and high-fructose corn syrup, based on feedback from members, nutritional guidance and industry trends. The company anticipates reaching full […]