Collegedale, Tennessee-based McKee Foods, the maker of Little Debbie snacks, is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake. Known for its signature yellow cake, creme filling and red and green sprinkles, the Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cake has grown from a limited holiday offering into a seasonal symbol. “For 40 years, […]
Category: Southeast
The Shelby Report of the Southeast covers grocery retailers, wholesalers and suppliers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Follow the latest store openings, remodels, leadership changes and market news from the region.
Posted inCorporate Store News, News, Southeast
Southeastern Grocers To Rebrand As The Winn-Dixie Co.
Southeastern Grocers LLC announced it will rebrand as The Winn-Dixie Co. in early 2026, uniting under the new name with a renewed focus on its home state of Florida. As part of the shift, SEG has decided to transition ownership of most of its locations outside of the Sunshine State. It has reached agreements or is […]
Posted inProduce News, News, Southeast
Red Arts Capital Acquires Produce Distributor Forestwood Farm
Red Arts Capital, an investment firm specializing in supply chain-related and logistics businesses, has acquired Forestwood Farm, a family-owned produce distributor based in Birmingham, Alabama. With the acquisition, Red Arts continues to expand its produce distribution footprint in the Southeastern U.S. and represents the firm’s second investment in the sector within the market. “This investment […]
Posted inExecutive News, C-Store News, News, Southeast
Parker’s Kitchen Promotes Rudolfs, Rhine To Elevated Executive Roles
Parker’s Kitchen, a convenience store and foodservice company headquartered in Savannah, Georgia, has promoted John Rudolfs to co-CEO and John Rhine to CFO in an effort to leverage the strengths of the company’s top leadership. Rudolfs will share CEO duties with Brandon Hofmann as they work together to optimize operations and support strategic growth. “As we […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, News, Southeast
Swamp Rabbit Café & Grocery Fulfills Co-Owners’ Food Dreams
Bringing like-minded people together has resulted in at least eight marriages and some lasting friend groups, according to Mary Walsh, co-owner of Swamp Rabbit Café & Grocery in Greenville, South Carolina. Walsh, who opened the store in fall 2011 with co-owner Jacqueline “Jac” Oliver, said, “When you build a place where people will interact with […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, News, Southeast, The Kroger Co.
Kroger Atlanta Division Packs 1M Meals To Fight Hunger Across Southeast
Kroger’s Atlanta Division united employees, community partners and volunteers Oct. 16 for its Community Million Meal Pack, a large-scale hunger-relief initiative that provided one million meals to families. “We did it!” said Victor Smith, division president. “Families facing food insecurity during these uncertain times will know our communities care and stand ready to help.” In […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Lowes Foods, Southeast
Lowes Foods Opens New Store In Indian Land, SC
Lowes Foods opened a new store Oct. 9 at 2230 Daisy Lane in Indian Land, South Carolina. The opening comes on the heels of the company’s announcement that it will renovate a Kj’s Market in Lyman, South Carolina, into a full-service Lowes Foods. Lowes Foods also is expanding in the South Carolina Low Country and […]
Posted inWholesaler/Distributor News, Associated Grocers, Inc., News, Southeast
Associated Grocers Introduces Refreshed Corporate Logo
In celebration of its 75th anniversary, Associated Grocers of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has introduced a new corporate logo. The milestone year has already brought achievements for the company. Associated Grocers Inc. was ranked No. 9 on the Baton Rouge Business Report’s Top 100 Private Companies list and was named 2025 Wholesaler of the Year by […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, News, Southeast
ECRS: No Pennies, No Problem With CATAPULT
ECRS, a leader in retail automation, has announced that its CATAPULT platform offers a configurable penny-rounding feature designed to support retailers as the U.S. phases out the one-cent coin. With the U.S. Mint set to cease penny production in 2026, retailers face growing challenges in managing cash transactions. CATAPULT’s penny-rounding feature offers a currency-agnostic solution that automatically rounds change due […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Feature, News, Southeast
Asheville, NC-based Earth Fare Looks Back On Helene, Continues Relief Efforts
One year after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, Asheville-based Earth Fare executives say the storm tested both the company and the community – and revealed the strength of partnerships forged during crises. Laurie Aker, director of marketing, described the experience as “literally like we were in ‘The Walking Dead.’ There was absolutely no communication.” […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, News, Publix Super Markets, Southeast
Publix, Leading Brands Unite To Help Florida Breast Cancer Charities
Publix is joining with 12 consumer brands and Riteway Sales and Marketing in October to turn grocery shopping into giving. From Oct. 4–18, Publix customers can look for a Breast Cancer Awareness Month page in the Publix Extra Savings flyer that features participating products. Each purchase will help generate donations to support women and families […]
Posted inFeature, News, Online Grocery Technology, Southeast
ECRS Reflects On Hurricane Helene Response One Year Later
In the wake of the devastating Hurricane Helene in late September 2024, the ECRS team in Boone, North Carolina, stepped up to support its community and the greater western North Carolina region. ECRS, a transaction and retail solutions provider, is located in Watauga County, which was included in FEMA’s 39-county disaster declaration. “Our dedicated employees […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Grocery Research, News, Publix Super Markets, Southeast
Publix Ranks As Florida’s Most Reputable Company
Merco, a corporate reputation monitor with a 25-year track record, has announced the first edition of Merco Companies and Business Leaders Rankings in Florida, which features Publix as the top ranked company. According to Merco, its multi-stakeholder evaluation methodology is the only KPMG-verified corporate reputation assessment in the world. Top 100 companies with the best […]
Posted inProduce News, Food Lion, News, Southeast
Food Lion Feeds’ Apple Bag Campaign Provides 13.8M Meals
Food Lion Feeds’ annual Gala Apple Bag campaign provided the equivalent of more than 13.8 million meals to families experiencing food insecurity. This year’s total marks the campaign’s second-largest number of meals provided since it began in 2014. Customers supported the effort from Sept. 17-Oct. 7 by buying marked bags of Gala apples or making […]
Posted inRetailer of the Year, Anniversary Issues, News, Publix Super Markets, Southeast
‘Publix Will Take Care Of You’ – Opportunities Aplenty For Associates Of All Ages
At Publix Super Markets, ownership isn’t just a financial arrangement – it’s a mindset that leaders say has fueled the grocer’s success for 95 years. As the largest employee-owned company in the U.S., Publix has more than 260,000 associates across eight states. Each has the opportunity to become an owner through the company’s employee stock […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, News, Southeast
Miami-Dade County Proclaims Sedano’s Supermarkets Day
Sedano’s Supermarkets shared that Miami-Dade County proclaimed Oct. 10 as “Sedano’s Supermarkets Day” in recognition of the company’s 60-plus-year legacy as a grocery destination and community partner, providing culturally-relevant products and services while fostering ties across South Florida’s diverse neighborhoods. The proclamation was held during a private ceremony at Sedano’s corporate headquarters in Hialeah, bringing […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Anniversary Issues, News, Publix Super Markets, Retailer of the Year, Southeast
‘A Place For Everyone’ – Publix Offers Sense Of Family, Belonging, Career Paths
When Marcy Benton walked into Publix for what she thought would be a summer job while in graduate school, she didn’t expect to find a lifelong career. After all, it seemed as though her entire hometown of Lakeland, Florida, worked for the company, and she wanted to escape the familiar for a bigger city. “They […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Food Lion, News, Southeast
Food Lion Feeds Awards More Than $2.6M In Grants
The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation has awarded more than $2.6 million in grants to 120 organizations as part of its Summers Without Hunger campaign, supporting community feeding partners working to prevent childhood hunger, address food insecurity and promote healthier lifestyles. Food Lion customers and participating vendors supported the annual Summers Without Hunger campaign, which provided […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Food City, Southeast
Food City Holds Grand Reopening In Trenton, GA
Food City held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 8 for an expanded and remodeled store on Crimson Drive in Trenton, Georgia. The grand reopening celebration includes special pricing on select items throughout the store. “Our customers will find the same smiling faces, top quality products, exceptional customer service and competitive pricing they have come to expect […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Anniversary Issues, News, Publix Super Markets, Retailer of the Year, Southeast
Publix Super Markets Expands Kentucky Presence With ‘55 Model’ Prototype
Publix Super Markets, The Shelby Report of the Southeast’s 2025 Retailer of the Year, is continuing its expansion into Kentucky with the opening of another store – part of a new market for the Florida-based grocer but one CEO Kevin Murphy says is already exceeding expectations. The second Lexington store, which opened June 4, is […]