CaliBagels Inc. has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Thomas’, the breakfast bread brand owned by Bimbo Bakeries USA, to develop, manufacture, and distribute Thomas’-branded Deli Style Bagel Chips across the United States. Under the terms of the partnership, CaliBagels will bring Thomas’ name and signature bagel flavor profiles to the snack aisle in 2026. The initial flavor offerings will reflect […]
Category: News
Posted inSnacks Brands, News, West
Wonderful Makes Confectionary Debut With Chocolate-Covered Pistachios
Wonderful Pistachios has introduced two new products, Chocolate Sea Salt and Chocolate Toffee, marking its debut in the confectionery category. Chocolate Sea Salt and Chocolate Toffee feature Wonderful Pistachios’ California-grown roasted pistachios, dipped in dark chocolate made with 50 percent cacao. “Consumers are increasingly looking for snacks that hit the sweet spot, literally and nutritionally,” […]
Posted inBakery News, News, West
Nature’s Bakery, Ardent Mills Expand Support for No Kid Hungry
Soft-baked snack brand Nature’s Bakery is continuing its ongoing partnership with No Kid Hungry by committing $150,000, more than 100,000 snack bars and 2,500 school supply kits to communities nationwide. It is joined by Ardent Mills, which also contributed to the cause. Nature’s Bakery’s expanded efforts demonstrate its continued commitment to addressing food insecurity and […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Guest Contributors, National, News
What Does Future Of Independent Grocery Hold?
Editor’s note: This is the first of a three-part series of articles intended to provide a view of the path to a brighter future for independent grocery as a whole and for independent grocers individually. As president of the Business Service Resource Group, I’ve spent over three decades working directly with family-owned businesses in the […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, News, Northeast, ShopRite
ShopRite Of Hunterdon County Launches Smart Caper Carts
Family-owned ShopRite of Hunterdon County is rolling out Caper Carts in September at its three New Jersey stores – Clinton, Flemington and Greenwich. Developed by Instacart and powered by AI, the carts feature interactive screens that let shoppers scan items as they shop, track their spending in real time and check out. The latest ShopRites, […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, News, Southeast
Winn-Dixie Donates $200K To Fight Hunger For 100th Anniversary
Winn-Dixie and the Winn-Dixie Gives Foundation are observing Hunger Action Month and commemorating the grocer’s 100th anniversary with a pledge to help fight food insecurity. Winn-Dixie is donating $100,000 to Feeding America in support of hunger relief programs – providing more than 1 million meals across the region. The grocer also will contribute an additional […]
Posted inProduce News, National, News
IFPA To Recognize Retail Merchant Innovation Award Recipients
The winners of IFPA’s Retail Merchant Innovation Award will be recognized during the Retail Awards Reception on Oct. 17 at the Global Produce & Floral Show in Anaheim, California. “This year’s winners exemplify how innovation and passion can transform the retail experience and inspire consumers to choose more fresh produce,” said Joe Watson, IFPA’s VP […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Albertsons, News, West
Albertsons Cos., Google Cloud Collaborate On New AI Shopping Assistant
Albertsons Cos. is the marquee collaborator and first retailer to bring Google Cloud’s Conversational Commerce agent solution to market – helping to redefine how customers discover, plan and shop for groceries. The new artificial intelligence-powered solution on Vertex AI provides an advanced product discovery experience for business-to-consumer retailers. Albertsons Cos. is leveraging Conversational Commerce agent […]
Posted inAssociation News, Market Profile, Midwest, News
Grocers In Missouri Navigating Uncertainty, Regulation And Market Shifts
Missouri’s grocery retailers are navigating a period of uncertainty shaped by federal trade disputes, state-level legislation, labor shortages and shifting consumer demand. “I would say we’re pretty much like the rest of the country, in that we’re a little nervous,” said Dan Shaul, executive state director of the Missouri Grocers Association. “Everybody wants it to […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Independent Store News, News, Northeast, Tops Friendly Markets
Birdzi Launches DataScope Analytics Suite With Tops Friendly Markets
Birdzi has unveiled DataScope, a suite of retail-specific data analytics tools that were developed in close collaboration Tops Friendly Markets. Blending operational clarity with shopper-centric analytics, DataScope goes beyond traditional flat reports to offer merchandising and analytics teams a unified, multi-dimensional view of their business across products, stores and customer groups. It is now available […]
Posted inProduce News, Affiliated Foods, Independent Store News, Lowes Markets, News, Southwest
Lowe’s Markets, EmpowerFresh Expand Produce Partnership
Lowe’s Markets, a Texas-based grocery chain, has expanded its partnership with EmpowerFresh, an AI-powered ordering and analytics platform built for independents’ produce departments. Building on the success of an initial six-store pilot, the rollout will extend EmpowerFresh’s solutions to 68 locations across Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Kansas. The produce department – often considered […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Dairy News, News, Northeast, Tops Friendly Markets
Tops Friendly Markets, Garelick Farms Partner On Milk Donation Program
Throughout September, for every gallon of Garelick Farms’ milk purchased at 10 participating Tops locations, a carton of Giving Cow milk will be donated to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. The donations come in cartons featuring playful cow characters. The single-serve, 8-ounce packs of ultra-high temperature (UHT) pasteurized milk have a shelf-life […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, News, Publix Super Markets, Southeast
Publix Recognized As A 2025 Best Workplace By Fortune
Publix Super Markets has been named to the Best Workplaces in Retail list by Fortune for the 12th consecutive year, ranking third of the 20 best large retail workplaces for 2025. Employees reported that the company’s welcoming and promote-from-within culture, customer service and dedication to community outreach are some of the reasons they enjoy working […]
Posted inGrocery Research, Association News, National, News
FMI Report: E-Commerce Fueling Growth, Innovation In Private Brands
FMI – The Food Industry Association has released its latest report, “The Power of Private Brands 2025: Industry Strategies to Sustain Momentum,” detailing how e-commerce is reshaping private label and how food retailers are leveraging digital tools to differentiate, build shopper loyalty and grow sales. Among the report’s findings – nearly 85 percent of private […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, News, Southwest, Whole Foods
Whole Foods Market Preps To Open Store In Parker, CO
The new 43,000-square-foot store Whole Foods Market is opening Oct. 9 at 8665 Kings Point Way in Parker, Colorado, will feature more than 700 products from across the state. Features of the Parker store include: An array of certified organic, conventional and Sourced for Good local options such as carving pumpkins from Hirakata Farms, hard […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, News, West
Market of Choice Expands Support For Oregon’s Emerging Food Brands
Independent grocer Market of Choice continues to strengthen Oregon’s reputation as one of the nation’s most collaborative food innovation hubs by opening doors for emerging brands through its MOJO program and statewide partnerships. “Oregon’s food culture thrives on connection and collaboration,” said John Boyle, chief merchandising and marketing officer for Market of Choice. “By building connections between makers […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, News, Southeast
The Fresh Market Dominates USA TODAY’s 10Best Grocery Awards
In a first for the company, The Fresh Market was named the top grocery store across all categories in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. According to the publication, The Fresh Market took first place in the Best Grocery Store category, in addition to Best Store Bakery, Best Store Deli, Best Store for Produce and […]
Posted inGrocery Research, Association News, National, News
Grocery Associations React To MAHA Policy Report
The Make America Healthy Again Commission has released its “Make Our Children Healthy Again” policy strategy, which aims to address childhood chronic disease but also has potentially heavy impacts on farmers, sound science and healthy food in the food and beverage industries. These impacts remain a concern, but the strategy shows signs of progress from […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Association News, National, News
NGA Applauds House Committee For Encouraging Antitrust Enforcement
The National Grocers Association (NGA) praised the House Appropriations Committee for including language in its fiscal year 2026 budget report urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to enforce antitrust laws more aggressively within the food, pharmacy and retail sectors. The report accompanied the committee’s approval of legislation that funds the FTC’s budget. The committee language […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, National, News
August Online Grocery Sales Hit Record High Of $11.2B
U.S. online grocery sales totaled $11.2 billion in August, climbing nearly 14 percent year over year to reach a new monthly high, according to the latest Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopper Survey, sponsored by Mercatus. The study attributed the growth to YOY gains in household penetration, order frequency and average order values (AOVs). Results by […]