Looma, an in-store retail media platform, has raised $13 million in new capital to accelerate expansion of its digital media network, including a rollout into nearly 600 Kroger stores nationwide. The funding includes $10 million in Series B investment led by Staley Capital and a $3 million credit facility from Silicon Valley Bank, a division […]
Category: News
Posted inExecutive News, Center Store, Midwest, News
Kraft Heinz Names Cahillane CEO
Steve Cahillane has been named CEO of The Kraft Heinz Co., effective Jan. 1., where he also will join the company’s board of directors and serve as CEO of Global Taste Elevation Co. following Kraft’s separation into two companies. To ensure a transition, Carlos Abrams-Rivera will step down Jan. 1 and serve as an advisor […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Hy-Vee, Midwest, News
Hy-Vee Opens Food Pantry At Iowa Elementary School
Students at Olmsted Elementary School in Urbandale, Iowa, have easier access to nutrition with the opening of a food pantry at their school through a partnership between Hy-Vee and the Food Bank of Iowa. Leaders from the retailer, food bank and the Urbandale Community School District celebrated the opening Dec. 8 with a ribbon-cutting, all-school […]
Posted inDairy News, Gelson's, News, West
Gelson’s Markets Launches Artisanal Cheese Boxes
Gelson’s Markets is expanding its reach beyond Southern California with the launch of nationwide shipping for its artisanal cheese boxes, allowing customers across the continental U.S. to order the grocer’s curated specialty food offerings. The supermarket chain said the program brings its in-store cheese expertise to a broader audience through a selection of gourmet collections. […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Associations, Midwest, News
Kansas Independents Served Well By Innovation, Creativity With Fresh Foods, Great Service
The Shelby Report of the Midwest recently caught up with Jon McCormick, president and CEO of the Retail Grocers Association of Greater Kansas City, for the latest updates on the grocery industry in Kansas. How is the economy in the state? Unemployment is lower than the national average. That helps our independent retailers in […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Corporate Store News, Market Profile, Midwest, News
Grocery Industry Navigates Expansion, Rural Challenges Across Kansas
The grocery landscape across Kansas tells two stories: one of aggressive growth in metropolitan corridors where national chains are planting flags and another of persistent struggle in rural communities where the independent store remains threatened by economics and changing demographics. Kansas State University’s Rural Grocery Initiative shared a post from KCUR News of an independent […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Natural Grocers, News, Southwest
Natural Grocers Shares Top Consumer Trends For 2026
Natural Grocers has released its annual Top Trends for Living Well in 2026, offering a forecast of emerging consumer behaviors and product interests that are expected to influence health, wellness, food and sustainability in the year ahead. The outlook reflects insights from the company’s Nutrition Education team along with its marketing and analytics professionals. Now […]
Posted inGrocery Research, National, News
Swiftly Survey Finds Most Shoppers Trust Local Grocers Over National Giants
A new consumer study released by retail technology provider Swiftly shows a strong trust advantage for neighborhood grocery stores over national competitors, suggesting a potential competitive edge for independent and regional grocers amid ongoing affordability pressures. The True Cost of a Grocery Shop 2025 survey, conducted online among more than 1,400 U.S. grocery shoppers, found […]