Originally founded in 1989, NAPAR (National Association of Perishable Agricultural Receivers) has been rebranded into the Produce Distributors Association. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., it is the first organization of its kind that solely advocates for fresh produce distributors. Initially an east coast-based organization made up of terminal market members, a key goal of the organization is […]
Category: National
Posted inAssociation News, Amazon Fresh, Guest Contributors, National, Whole Foods
What Grocers Need To Know About Omnichannel For 2024
With year-over-year online channel sales up 17 percent and vastly outpacing in-store growth, understanding omnichannel shopper behavior is vital for retailers of all sizes. As independent grocers, how can you better understand today’s omni shoppers? In a recent webinar hosted by the National Grocers Association, experts from Nielsen IQ offered valuable insights along with a […]
Posted inAssociation News, Guest Contributors, National
5 Questions For Daniel Nazario
The regional vice president for wholesale at Kellanova shares his thoughts about the state of the industry for independent grocers and his outlook for the coming months. Challenges of the past year continue to linger into 2023, and despite a gradual easing of inflation, operators as well as consumers are still feeling the pressure. What […]
Posted inProduce News, National
Produce Sales Rise In August As Prices Dip
Retailers invested in fruit prices in August as the average price per pound for fruit decreased by 2.1 percent over year-ago levels, according to the monthly report produced by Circana, 210 Analytics and the International Fresh Produce Association. August produce sales The five August weeks generated $74.3 billion total food and beverage sales, up 1.7 […]
Posted inProduce News, National
Does Your Produce Department Meet The Gold Standard?
Sponsored content Few things are more important to a successful produce department than having beautiful, high quality fruit on display. That’s especially true when it comes to bananas. Studies have shown that having low quality bananas on display is one of the main reasons consumers change retailers. And since bananas are one of the most […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, Feature, Meijer, National
Health, Tech Highlight 2023 Global Produce And Floral Show
The greatest challenge for the fresh produce and floral industry continues to be getting people to consume more of its products, according to Cathy Burns, CEO of the International Fresh Produce Association. “If you look at the data, consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables remains well below both the U.S. Dietary Guidelines and the World […]
Posted inPackaging News, Association News, National
Study Touts Corrugated Packaging Industry’s Sustainability Leadership
The corrugated packaging industry has achieved substantial reductions in the environmental impacts of a corrugated cardboard box, according to a new life cycle assessment. The study shows a 50 percent per unit reduction in greenhouse gas emissions between 2006-20, tackling the most urgent and predominant causes of a changing climate. The LCA, conducted for the […]
Posted inGrocery Store Equipment, Association News, Food Lion, Frozen Food, Meijer, National, Sustainability News
EPA’s GreenChill Program Recognizes Achievements In Refrigerant Management
In a ceremony at the FMI – The Food Industry Association’s Energy and Store Development Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s GreenChill Program recognized 12 food retail companies and one manufacturer of advanced refrigeration systems for their achievements. “Participants in the GreenChill Partnership and Store Certification Programs have been leading the industry […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, National
August Meat Sales Remain Unchanged Versus Last Year
The average price per pound in the meat department across all cuts and kinds, both fixed and random weight, stood at $4.63 in August, according to Circana, 210 Analytics and Hillphoenix’s recent monthly report. This amount was virtually unchanged from levels seen last year during the same time. Processed meat tends to have the higher prices, […]
Posted inPrivate Label Brands, Association News, National
FMI Report: Grocery Shoppers Turning To Private Brands
Grocery shoppers are not only buying private brands more often but are drawn to them by factors that go beyond the affordable prices and overall value with which they are typically associated. Those were among the key takeaways from the second installment of FMI – The Food Industry Association’s 2023 Power of Private Brands series, […]
Posted inAssociation News, Guest Contributors, National
Consumers Deserve Hassle-Free Healthy Benefits At All Grocery Stores
Imagine for a moment seeing some neighbors shopping for groceries. Their cart is filled with all the products they need to prepare meals for their family during the coming week. Up at the check stand, they unload their cart and the checker rings them up. Then they present a payment card that promised to cover […]
Posted inAssociation News, National
Food Trends For Fall and Winter
What trends should independent grocers be leveraging in Q4 to maximize sales and customer satisfaction? Fresh is always a winner, but there are plenty of other bright areas this season, ripe for opportunity throughout the store to give independents an edge with consumers planning their fall and winter menus. NGA hosted a recent webinar in […]
Posted inEmerging Leaders, National
Shelby Publishing Names 2023 Emerging Leaders
Shelby Publishing has announced its 2023 list of Emerging Leaders. These awards identifies and recognizes the next generation of leadership across all sectors of the food industry – retailers, wholesalers, distributors, suppliers/vendors and solutions providers. “The Emerging Leaders platform is Shelby’s contribution to all the initiatives in place to attract and retain talented individuals,” said […]
Posted inWomen of Influence, National
Shelby Publishing Names 2023 Women Of Influence
Shelby Publishing has announced its 2023 Women of Influence across The Shelby Report of the Midwest, The Shelby Report of the West, The Shelby Report of the Southeast, The Shelby Report of the Southwest and The Griffin Report of the Northeast. This year’s slate of honorees vary from presidents, VPs, managers, directors, supervisors and more. […]
Posted inPrivate Label Brands, Association News, National
IGA’s Ross To Deliver Keynote At PLMA Show
IGA Inc. President and CEO John Ross will be the keynote speaker at PLMA’s 2023 Annual Private Label Trade Show Nov. 12-14 in Chicago. Ross will speak at the Nov. 13 keynote breakfast, “Economics, Global Retailing and the Opportunity for Private Label Growth.” He is responsible for domestic and global operations for IGA, the world’s […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Ask The Experts, Grocery Store Equipment, National
How To Use Technology To Level The Grocery Playing Field
Sponsored content Grocery technology has seen a massive transformation over recent years, with big box stores dominating the landscape and changing the game for technology with the independent grocers. This prompts the question, are you utilizing your point-of-sale technology to the best of its capabilities? In our Ask the Experts, we talk with Rene Stai, […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Marketing News, National
Report: Online Grocery Shoppers Expect Omnichannel Convenience
Acosta Group’s annual online grocery report reflects a slight uptick over last year, with 55 percent of shoppers buying groceries online at least some of the time. According to the report, the upward trend is driven by more consumers who are buying online regularly but still shopping mostly in-store. Research was conducted July 7-13 with […]
Posted inAssociation News, National
NGA Partners With IACC To Help Independent Grocers
The National Grocers Association (NGA) has partnered with the Italy America Chamber of Commerce (IACC) to access new products and resources to benefit independent grocers across the U.S. The IACC is a private, not-for-profit membership organization that brings together businesses and advances the interests of its members through contacts and interaction with Italian government agencies, […]
Posted inGuest Contributors, Association News, Independent Store News, National
Retailer Perspective On The Economic Outlook For Independent Grocers
Record inflation has been putting pressure on independent grocers as well as their customers, stretching folks’ spending power and retailers’ ability to deliver value. There are signs that things are easing up, but is anyone feeling it yet? The National Grocers Association hosted a recent webinar exploring current economic conditions driving the marketplace, what independent […]
Posted inProduce News, National
IFPA Shares Speaker Lineup For Upcoming Show
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) has released the list of speakers for The Global Produce & Floral Show, which is set for Oct. 19-21 in Anaheim, California. “Our commitment to helping members respond to the consumer marketplace, adopt new technology and innovation and put people first is reflected in the global show’s CEO Panel,” […]