The International Housewares Association (IHA) named 12 Global Honorees in its 2026 Global Innovation Awards (gia) for Excellence in Product Design during the annual gia Gala at McCormick Place in Chicago. The winners were drawn from five finalists in each of 12 product categories, selected through a two-round judging process. The awards were a part […]
Category: News
Posted inBakery News, News, West
Rise Baking Co. Expands UT Facility, Closes WA Plant
Rise Baking Co. is adding 115,000 square feet of manufacturing space to its facility in Pleasant View, Utah, as part of a network consolidation that includes shuttering its plant in Kent, Washington. The expansion, which is expected to create 170 new jobs, is slated for completion in 2026. The Pleasant View facility has operated since […]
Posted inAssociation News, Featured News, News, West
WAFC’s Retail Management Certification Program Reaches 1K Graduates
The Albertsons Southern California Division has reached 1,000 graduates of the Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC) Retail Management Certification (RMC) program, marking a decade-plus milestone in associate education for one of the country’s largest grocery divisions. The free program, designed to provide accessible career development for retail associates, has grown into a division-wide initiative […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Health & Wellness, Midwest, News, The Kroger Co.
The Kroger Co. Adds Zepbound KwikPen To Retail Pharmacies
The Kroger Co. announced that Zepbound KwikPen, Eli Lilly’s multi-dose weight-management injection, is available at participating Kroger Family of Pharmacies locations. For the first time, self-pay patients eligible for Lilly’s KwikPen Self-Pay Savings Card can access the manufacturer’s program at a retail pharmacy counter. Zepbound is a GLP-1 receptor agonist prescribed for chronic weight management. […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Executive News, Featured News, Finance News, News, West
HGG Appoints Hinojosa CEO Following National Search
Ontario, California-based Heritage Grocers Group (HGG) appointed David Hinojosa as CEO following a board-led national search. Hinojosa, a 30-year retail veteran with experience across the U.S., Australia and Asia, will lead the 115-store ethnic grocery operator’s next phase of growth. He most recently served as COO at Vallarta Supermarkets, which he joined in 2023. His career includes […]
Posted inGrocery Store Layout, News, Southeast, Southwest, Walmart
Walmart Tests Neighborhood Market Rapid Remodels
Walmart will begin testing a rapid remodel process at select Neighborhood Market stores in April, temporarily closing main sales floors for four weeks while keeping pharmacies and fuel stations open. The pilot spans stores in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas. The accelerated timeline compresses a process that traditionally stretches several months, with […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Featured News, News, West
Harmons Gives Local Businesses $5K Grants
Harmons Neighborhood Grocer named four Utah-based businesses as recipients of its 2026 Local Supplier Development Grants, each receiving $5,000 to fund equipment purchases, technology upgrades and community initiatives. It was the first time Harmons has awarded four grants, up from three in previous years. The beneficiaries are Happy Trowels Farm, Heber Valley Cheese, Salsa Del […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Featured News, National, News, Whole Foods
Whole Foods Market To Double UK Presence With 6 New Stores
Whole Foods Market will open six new stores across London between April and June, doubling its U.K. store count to 12. The expansion marks the international debut of the grocer’s Daily Shop format, a compact store design launched in 2024 in New York City that fits high-quality product selection into locations under 14,000 square feet. […]