Raley’s Support Center in West Sacramento, California, recently completed a comprehensive renovation to transform the three-story building into an open office environment which promotes collaboration, enhances teamwork and reflects the company’s brand and culture. “We wanted to offer our team members an open, contemporary place to work—to make the environment a happy and productive place […]
Category: West
The Shelby Report of the West covers grocery retailers, wholesalers and suppliers in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Follow the latest store openings, remodels, leadership changes and market news from the region.
Wilson Produce Plans Expanded Product Lineup, New Branding
Nogales, Arizona-based Wilson Produce, a fourth-generation family farm, is looking to its future after “months of strategic planning and assessment of all areas of the company.” Among changes coming to the company are increases in production of existing items like mini sweet peppers, cucumbers and squash; the addition of new commodities like colored bell peppers […]
California Perspective: State Showed Its Purple In June Polling
by Ron Fong/president and CEO, California Grocers Association Californians went to the polls in June to determine matchups for November’s General Election. Despite California’s reputation as being solidly blue and progressive, this election showed the shades of purple that exist up and down the state. While a vast majority of Californians remain socially very liberal […]
Daily’s Bacon Coming To Retail In Response To Consumer Demand
Daily’s Premium Meats is bringing its bacon to retail with new packaging in response to what it says are hundreds of recent consumer inquiries. After viewing newly redesigned labels, 68 percent of consumers expressed strong purchase intent. According to Daily’s that’s because consumers found the new packaging aligns with what they expect from great bacon: quality, […]
2018 Caplan Family Business Scholarship Application Period Open
The application period for the 2018 Frieda Rapoport Caplan Family Business Scholarship is now open. The Frieda Rapoport Caplan Family Business Scholarship Program was founded in 2001 by sisters Karen Caplan and Jackie Caplan Wiggins, in honor of their mother, Frieda Rapoport Caplan, founder of Frieda’s Specialty Produce. The program provides the opportunity for representatives […]
Peet’s Coffee Appoints Former Wrigley Exec As CEO
Peet’s Coffee has appointed Kenneth C. “Casey” Keller Jr. as chief executive officer, effective August 6, 2018. Keller will succeed Dave Burwick, who had served as chief executive officer of Peet’s Coffee since 2012. Previously Keller served as global president of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., a subsidiary of Mars Inc., where he was responsible for delivering sales […]
Fiji Water Ends Distribution Partnership With Keurig Dr Pepper
Fiji Water, a supplier of imported bottled water, is making a change to its distribution network that will result in the brand directly handling more of its own product delivery. Fiji is discontinuing its distribution partnership with Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) in favor of a new distribution model that “will ensure a focused, superior experience for […]
Litehouse Unveils Refreshed Branding For Simply Artisan Cheese Line
Litehouse Inc., an employee-owned company and producer of refrigerated salad dressings, dips, herbs and cheese, is aiming to “brighten up” its award-winning cheese line with new branding and packaging. The new look for Litehouse Simply Artisan leverages design cues from the recently refreshed core line of Litehouse dressings and dips, including modernized branding, top-down photography, eye […]
Retailers Say Customer Service Will Suffer Under California Privacy Law
The National Retail Federation is calling new state privacy legislation signed into law in California yesterday “deeply flawed” and said customer service could be severely hampered if the legislature fails to address retailers’ concerns before the measure takes effect in 2020. The law prohibits retailers from treating customers who opt out of data sharing any […]
Dream Pops Selects Vericool As Its Sustainable Packaging Partner
Vericool, maker of Vericoolers, a compostable insulation and recyclable cold-chain packaging solution, has entered into a multi-year sustainable packaging partnership with Dream Pops, maker of direct-to-consumer, vegan, gluten-free frozen confections. “Vericool is thrilled to announce our sustainable packaging partnership with Dream Pops, a company that shares our passion for conscientious consumer innovation,” said Darrell Jobe, […]
Rite Aid Pharmacists In Idaho Soon Will Be Able To Prescribe Medications
Starting Sunday, July 1, Rite Aid pharmacists at all locations in Idaho will be able to prescribe medications to treat select, common conditions under the Pharmacist Prescriptive Authority Rule Docket 27-0104-1701, which was promoted by the Idaho State Board of Pharmacy. The rule, which was approved by the Idaho legislature, enables pharmacists to prescribe medications […]
Sweet Earth Foods Launches Vegetarian Frozen Pizza Line Nationwide
Sweet Earth Foods is rolling out a new line of frozen pizzas, marking the vegetarian food company’s first foray into the pizza game. The line features four flavors made with organic ingredients: Veggie Lover’s, Truffle Lover’s, Protein Lover’s and Herb Lover’s. “The pizzas deliver on both taste and nutrition, with unique crusts blended with ancient […]
Vintage Grocers To Open Third Southern California Store This Fall
Vintage Grocers, a Southern California neighborhood market started in 2014 by owner Paige Laurie, will open its third location this September in Caruso’s forthcoming Palisades Village, just off of Sunset Boulevard. Designed by Thread Collaborative, the new store will “embody the classic hometown vibe of a neighborhood market,” says Vintage Grocers. “Thread Collaborative’s design harmonizes with Vintage Grocer’s thoughtful approach […]
Nicaraguan Red Dragon Fruit Almost Ready For Summer Sales
Red dragon fruit, grown in Nicaragua, is two weeks away from its high-volume launch in July, and will be available through Frieda’s Specialty Produce through November. “Our grower continues to focus on the best, most flavorful varieties of red dragon fruit, and we are expecting excellent volume this season,” said Allen DeMo, director of procurement […]
Harmons To Join Newly Opened Mixed-Use Project In Riverton, Utah
CenterCal Properties held a grand opening and sculpture unveiling for its newest mixed-use project, Mountain View Village, in Riverton, Utah, at 13400 S. Mountain View Corridor (4500 W.) on June 15. The grand opening commenced with several store openings at 10:00 a.m. and a ceremony at 11:00 a.m. featuring city leaders. The development is intended […]
Raley’s Completes Transition Of Nevada Scolari’s, Sak ‘N Save Stores
Raley’s has completed the transition of five Scolari’s Food & Drug locations and one Sak ‘N Save store in the Reno, Nevada, area. Raley’s began to assume operations of the stores in late May, and all six locations were fully converted to Raley’s ownership on June 12. Each of the purchased stores closed for two […]
Julie’s Organic Ice Cream Company Celebrates 20th Anniversary
Julie’s Organic is turning 20 and celebrating its flagship product with a limited-edition box design and consumer giveaways. The brand debuted what it says was the first nationally available organic ice cream in 1998—four years before USDA organic standards were established. To honor the milestone, Julie’s Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich is available now in a […]
URM Launches Its First Exclusive Product Brand—Merchant’s Craft Beverages
Spokane, Washington-based URM Stores is rolling out its first exclusive product brand, Merchant’s Craft. The new brand of beverage products will replace Western Family brand soda, sparkling water and mixers at URM-supplied stores in the Northwest. The official launch date for Merchant’s Craft is June 1, though the products were available at some retail stores […]
Washington Market Profile: Challenges, But Growth, Too
by Lorrie Griffith/editor-West One of the dichotomies in a state like Washington is that while there are major metropolitan areas like Seattle, there also are extremely rural areas. But, of course, both are subject to the same state laws, like the $12 an hour minimum wage that went into effect this year that will go […]
California Perspective: Relationship-Building Plays Important Role In The Political Process
by Ron Fong/president and CEO, California Grocers Association Success in government relations often is rooted in the connections developed with legislators over the years. While politics, and lobbying specifically, is by its nature an adversarial pursuit, good government relations separate the conflict from the person you conflict with. Legislation comes and goes, but legislators stay […]
