Sprouts Farmers Market has signed a tax credit transfer agreement with Schneider Electric, U.S. Bank and Longroad Energy to help finance the Sun Pond Solar + Battery Energy Storage System project in Maricopa County, Arizona, where the grocer is headquartered. The 111 MWdc solar and 85 MWac / 340 MWh storage project is operational. It […]
Category: News
Posted inIndependent Store News, Corporate Store News, Featured News, Grocery Research, National, News
Study Finds 81% Of Americans Open To Switching Grocery Brands
Loyalty in the grocery aisle is softening, according to a new national study from Reach3 Insights that found 81 percent of Americans are open to trying new brands – a signal that routine, habit-driven CPG purchases are giving way to more deliberate in-store decision-making. The study, “Rethinking Routine: What’s Really Happening in the Grocery Aisle,” […]
Posted inProduce News, Association News, Featured News, National, News
IFPA Calls On Congress To Fund Produce Incentives, Expand School Programs
International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) CEO Cathy Burns testified March 11 before the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, urging lawmakers to expand federal produce incentives, modernize nutrition programs and increase investment in U.S. growers. Burns argued that closing America’s fruit and vegetable consumption gap is a public health and economic imperative. Nine […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Grocery Store Equipment, National, News
Birdzi Launches Natural Language BI Tool, AskKea
Birdzi has released AskKea, a generative business intelligence (BI) assistant that lets grocery retailers query their data using plain-English questions and receive decision-ready answers in minutes instead of days. AskKea is designed for non-analysts. Store managers and marketing teams can ask questions directly and receive clear answers, visual summaries, exportable data files, methodology explanations and […]
Posted inBakery News, Midwest, National, News
Puratos To Acquire MI-Based Dawn Foods
Belgian bakery ingredients group Puratos has begun an agreement to acquire Jackson, Michigan-based Dawn Foods, bringing together two family-owned companies that have each operated in the professional bakery industry for more than a century. The combined company would connect Dawn Foods’ large-scale North American distribution with Puratos’ international subsidiary network, and pair Dawn’s application-focused creativity with […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Featured News, Natural Grocers, News, West
Natural Grocers Plans New Store In Walla Walla, WA
Natural Grocers has begun preparations for a new store in downtown Walla Walla, Washington, marking the family-operated chain’s sixth location in the state and first in the Walla Walla Valley. Ahead of the spring opening, the company is hosting a community meet-and-greet March 24 and a two-day hiring event March 25-26 at the Courtyard by […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Association News, Featured News, Finance News, National, News, Nonfood Items
AI Experts Urge Retailers To Move Beyond Simple Automation
Artificial intelligence (AI) can help retailers unlock hidden revenue in underperforming inventory, improve customer targeting and streamline operations — but only if companies stop treating it as a time-saving shortcut and start using it as a strategic tool. That was the message from two digital commerce experts during a keynote at The Inspired Home Show […]
Posted inSnacks Brands, Association News, Featured News, National, News
NCA Launches Candy Campaign Ahead Of U.S. 250th Anniversary
The National Confectioners Association has launched Sweet Land of Liberty, a yearlong advocacy and marketing campaign timed to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence that frames the U.S. chocolate and candy industry as a major American manufacturing story. The campaign features activations in Washington, D.C., and nationwide, including a presence at Sweets & […]
Posted inWholesaler/Distributor News, Finance News, News, Northeast, UNFI
UNFI Posts Q2 Profit Turnaround As Network Optimization Drives Margin Gains
United Natural Foods Inc. (NYSE: UNFI) reported second quarter fiscal 2026 net income of $20 million, reversing a $3 million net loss in the same period a year ago, as cost discipline and distribution network restructuring more than offset a 2.6 percent decline in net sales to $7.9 billion. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Featured News, Food City, Health & Wellness, News, Southeast
Food City Expands NationsBenefit Flex Card Access For Members
NationsBenefits has integrated its Flex Card network with Food City, allowing eligible health plan members to use prepaid benefit cards at all of the grocer’s participating locations in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia and Alabama. Using the NationsBenefits Mastercard Prepaid Flex Card, they will be able to buy approved food as medicine items, over-the-counter (OTC) health […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Aldi, Featured News, News, Northeast
Aldi Prepping For Entrance Into 40th State
Aldi will open its first Maine location on March 26 at 1100 Brighton Ave. in Portland, marking the German discount grocer’s entry into its 40th state. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 8:45 a.m., followed by grand opening festivities. To mark the opening, Aldi will donate $10,000 to the Good Shepherd Food Bank to support […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Featured News, Market Profile, News, Northeast
Redner’s Bringing ‘Fresh Market 2.0’ To Wilmington, Creating Foodservice Destination
Walk into most grocery stores and the experience is largely transactional: Grab a cart, work your way down the aisles and check out. Redner’s Markets wants to change that, and its newest store in Wilmington, Delaware, is the place where it’s making moves toward that next-generation grocery shopping experience. The Reading, Pennsylvania-based grocer broke ground […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Featured News, News, Southeast, Southwest
Sprouts Farmers Market Opens 3 New Stores In FL, TX
Sprouts Farmers Market opened three new stores in late February and early March, adding two Florida locations and one in Texas. The first store opened Feb. 27 at 1591 N. Williamson Blvd. in Daytona Beach, Florida. That was followed by two locations on March 6 – one at 3420 South U.S. Hwy. 27 in Clermont, […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, Executive News, Featured News, Finance News, News, Southeast
ECRS Names Rosner Chief Revenue Officer
ECRS, a Boone, North Carolina-based retail technology company, has named Merrick Rosner chief revenue officer. Rosner brings more than a decade of executive experience in retail technology and previously served on the National Retailer Advisory Board of the Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA). In his new role, Rosner will oversee customer experience, sales operations and strategic […]
Posted inDairy News, Midwest, News
WI Dairy Producers Win 135 Awards At World Championship Cheese Contest
Wisconsin dairy artisans claimed 135 awards during the 2026 World Championship Cheese Contest, including 44 best-of-class honors, outpacing every other state and country in the competition and outperforming the next five highest-recognized competitors combined. The contest drew more than 3,000 entries from 34 U.S. states and territories and 25 countries, with international judges evaluating products […]
Posted inBeverage News, Grocery Research, National, News
EY Survey: Ingredient Scrutiny, Wellness Reshaping Beverage Purchases
A new survey from EY finds that health awareness, generational differences and digital tools are fundamentally changing what consumers want from beverages – with implications for retailers and CPG brands across the category. The study surveyed more than 2,500 adults in the U.S. and Brazil between Nov. 20-Dec. 11. Wellness is baseline expectation Health-driven behavior […]
Posted inMeat/Seafood/Poultry, Executive News, Featured News, Finance News, National, News
NPPC Elects New Officers, Board Members For 2026-27 Term
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) elected new officers and board members to lead the organization through the 2026-27 term, tapping a mix of multi-generational family farmers and large-scale production executives to guide its national advocacy agenda. Rob Brenneman of Washington, Iowa, was elected president. Brenneman owns and operates Brenneman Pork and has served on […]
Posted inC-Store News, Featured News, Grocery Store Equipment, Midwest, News
Huck’s Market Becomes First C-Store To Deploy AI-Native POS Chainwide
Huck’s Market has gone live with an artificial intelligence-native point-of-sale system at its flagship location in Carmi, Illinois, becoming the first c-store chain to deploy the technology in-store. The employee-owned 135-store Midwest chain partnered with Tote, an AI-native POS platform built for fuel and convenience retail, with a chainwide rollout planned for completion by the […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Merchant Distributors, News, Online Grocery Technology, Southeast
Swiftly, MDI Bringing Digital Circular, AI Targeting To Independent Grocers
Swiftly has partnered with Merchants Distributors (MDI), a Hickory, N.C.-based wholesale grocery distributor, to expand digital capabilities across MDI’s network of more than 600 independent retailers in the Southeast. Under the agreement, MDI retailers will gain access to three Swiftly products – a modern retail website platform, SmartCircular for digitizing the weekly circular experience and Audience […]
Posted inProduce News, Featured News, News, Northeast, Wakefern
Wakefern Opens Applications For Local Produce Supplier Summit
Wakefern Food Corp. is accepting applications from growers to participate in its annual Local Produce Supplier Summit on July 15 at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center in Edison, New Jersey. Qualified applicants will be invited to present to Wakefern’s procurement teams, participate in panels and explore retail partnerships across the cooperative’s eight supermarket […]