The Kroger Co. held a grand opening celebration Aug. 13 for a new Marketplace store at 175 Peachtree Exchange Blvd. in Hoschton, Georgia. The location represents a $40 million investment, encompassing more than 123,000 square feet and bringing more than 250 jobs to the area. Kroger employees and leadership joined city, county and state officials, […]
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 inExecutive News, News, Piggly Wiggly, Southeast, Wholesaler/Distributor News
Piggly Wiggly Alabama Makes 2 Key Executive Appointments
Piggly Wiggly Alabama Distributing Co. has announced two key executive changes: Tony Chicarelli has been named VP of sales, business and store development, while Delma Craft has become VP of operations. “These changes will help strengthen the PWADC organization as it works to improve its performance-driven service to its customers and strengthen retail profitability,” said […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Food City, Southeast
Food City Breaks Ground On New Site In Athens, AL
Company officials broke ground Aug. 8 for a new Food City on Lucas Ferry Road in Athens, Alabama. The 57,000-square-foot supermarket, which will create 180 new jobs, is expected to open next spring. It is the company’s fifth of six locations planned for the Huntsville market area. “Our first four Huntsville locations have been very […]
Posted inExecutive News, Independent Store News, News, Southeast
Houchens Food Group Names Shillinglaw As COO
Bowling Green, Kentucky-based Houchens Food Group Inc. has appointed Brian Shillinglaw as chief operating officer (COO). Shillinglaw brings more than 24 years of leadership experience in grocery retail, specializing in merchandising, operations and human resources. Throughout his career, he has held key operational roles at several grocery retailers, including Winn-Dixie, Southeastern Grocers, Rouses, Harris Teeter […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Food Lion, Southeast
Food Lion Feeds Provides 28M Meals To Prevent Child Hunger
With many children facing food insecurity, Food Lion customers and participating vendors helped provide more than 28 million meals through the “Summers Without Hunger” initiative. Customers supported the annual campaign by buying special reusable bags for $2 between June 18-July 15. Ten Food Lion suppliers matched the proceeds from the bag sales: Campbell’s, Frito-Lay, General […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Harris Teeter, News, Southeast
Harris Teeter Launches Together In Education Round Up Campaign
Harris Teeter’s new round-up campaign, Together in Education (TIE), benefits Southeast-based nonprofits that support the needs of educators and students. Through Oct. 28, customers can round up their transactions to the nearest dollar when checking out at any Harris Teeter location. “Since 1998, Harris Teeter has contributed more than $33 million through our Together in Education […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, News, Southeast
The Fresh Market Tops Newsweek’s 2025 Best Retailers List
The Fresh Market has been named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Retailers 2025, receiving the top spot in the Specialty/Natural/Ethnic Grocers category. The ranking was published in partnership with Statista Inc. “We are honored to be recognized as a top retailer in the grocery industry by Newsweek and Statista Inc.,” said The Fresh Market […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Food City, News, Southeast
Food City Prepares To Build New Store In Marion, VA
Company officials broke ground July 31 for a new 56,700-square-foot Food City on North Main Street in Marion, Virginia, that is expected to open next spring and will replace the current location in town. “We are very excited to be building a brand-new … store for the residents of Marion and Smyth County. Our company […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, News, Southeast, The Kroger Co.
The Kroger Co. Begins Flashfood Pilot In Richmond, VA
Flashfood has partnered with the Mid-Atlantic Division of The Kroger Co. to introduce its program at 16 stores in the Richmond, Virginia, area. Through the partnership, customers can buy fresh groceries in surplus or nearing their best-by date, including meat, dairy, produce and baked goods at larger discounts through the Flashfood app. Items are then […]
Posted inSustainability News, News, Publix Super Markets, Southeast
Publix Commits To Multiyear Project For Coral Reef Restoration
Publix has donated $675,000 to further support coral reef restoration efforts at two national parks in its home state of Florida – Biscayne and Dry Tortugas – through the National Park Foundation (NPF). This was the first donation as part of the company’s $2 million multiyear commitment. Publix first supported coral restoration efforts with NPF […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, Harris Teeter, News, Southeast
Harris Teeter Brings Back Annual Chef’s Best Fundraiser
Harris Teeter is bringing back its annual Chef’s Best fundraiser on Aug. 8, supporting Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina‘s mission to eliminate hunger throughout 24 counties across North and South Carolina. This year’s event will feature an evening of Spanish-inspired cuisine crafted by chef, author, media personality and Cúrate co-founder Katie Button. Featuring tapas, […]
Posted inWholesaler/Distributor News, KeHE Distributors, News, Southeast
KeHE Opens Distribution Center In Elkton, FL
KeHE Distributors has opened a new distribution center in Elkton, Florida. Although it is 3,850 steps from the previous location, the new building provides a 61 percent increase in space. It features 29,887 square feet of office space for employees and six temp zones, including 390,000 square feet of dry warehouse, 105,000 square feet of […]
Posted inOnline Grocery Technology, News, Southeast
ECRS Adds Text-Em-All Capabilities To CATAPULT Software
At Ignite 2025, ECRS announced that it had begun a strategic partnership with Text-Em-All, a provider of mass messaging solutions. The collaboration designates Text-Em-All as the preferred SMS marketing provider integrated with the CATAPULT software suite, enabling independent retailers to engage customers more effectively and drive growth. With the integration, CATAPULT users can send SMS messages directly to their shoppers without time-consuming manual workarounds. Whether promoting a weekend […]
Posted inBeverage News, News, Southeast
The Coca-Cola Co. Highlights Growth, Future Plans In Annual Report
Atlanta-based The Coca-Cola Co. released its second quarter results July 22, highlighting its growth in the past quarter as well as plans for a new beverage option featuring U.S. cane sugar. “Amid a shifting external landscape in the second quarter, the ability of our system to stay both focused and flexible enabled us to stay […]
Posted inBakery News, News, Southeast
King’s Hawaiian Plans $54M Expansion In Oakwood, GA
Family-owned, Hawaii-inspired food company King’s Hawaiian said it will invest about $54 million to expand its facility in Oakwood, Georgia, creating more than 135 jobs. The expansion will add a new production line at the 150,000-square-foot plant in the Oakwood South Industrial Park. Start-up of the new line is expected in the second quarter of […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Association News, News, Southeast
Alabama Grocer Receives NGA Spirit Of America Award
The National Grocers Association (NGA) recently presented Harold Garrett, president and general manager of Gateway Foods and longtime board member of the Alabama Grocers Association (AGA), with its Spirit of America Award. The presentation occurred during AGA’s annual convention July 13-16 in recognition of Garrett’s leadership and a career that reflects dedication to community, country […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Publix Super Markets, Southeast
Publix Celebrates 2 Store Openings In FL
Publix held celebrations for two Florida stores July 19 – a grand opening for a store at 12407 SW Community Blvd. in Port St. Lucie and a store reopening at 6030 14th St. W in Bradenton. To celebrate its 95th anniversary, Publix handed out commemorative reusable bags to the first 95 customers in line at […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, News, Southeast
The Fresh Market Donates $21.5K To Alzheimer’s Association
In collaboration with celebrity chef Carla Hall, The Fresh Market donated more than $21,500 to support the Alzheimer’s Association. The grocer pledged to donate 10 percent of the sales price of Carla Hall’s Sweet Heritage Butter Tarts to the Alzheimer’s Association. The campaign in June aimed to raise awareness and fund research toward a cure. […]
Posted inProduce News, News, Southeast
Duda Farm Fresh Foods Expands Georgia Sweet Corn Facility
Duda Farm Fresh Foods has added a cutting-edge, on-site fresh cut corn processing facility within its Georgia sweet corn operations. This investment marks a step in the company’s commitment to delivering fresher, more sustainable produce. The new facility mirrors the same technology and processes used across all of Duda’s corn processing locations in Florida, Michigan […]
Posted inWholesaler/Distributor News, News, Southeast
Bay Food Brokerage Expands Into New Headquarters In Tampa
Bay Food Brokerage, a Tampa, Florida-based retail food brokerage company serving the Southeast, has relocated to a new headquarters building in Tampa’s Westshore Business District that is double the size of its previous office on Memorial Highway. Bay Food Brokerage purchased the almost 12,000-square-foot office building at 5201 W Laurel St. for $4.3 million last […]