The Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC) has elected four new board members during its annual meeting, held last month in LaQuinta, California. Newly elected directors are: • Joe Falvey EVP, Unified Grocers; president, Market Centre, Livermore, California • Mike Hendry, EVP, marketing and merchandising, Northgate Gonzalez Markets, Anaheim • John Mathews, VP, sales and marketing, Cash&Carry […]
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.
Save-A-Lot Shuttering Operations In California, Nevada
Save-A-Lot will close all of its stores in California and Nevada. The company, which Supervalu sold to an affiliate of Onex Corp. for $1.365 billion in cash in December, said in a statement Jan. 19 that the decision was made “after rigorous review and analysis.” Thirteen corporate locations, a retailer-owned store and the company’s Rancho distribution […]
New Lee’s MarketPlace In Utah’s Foxboro Community Marks Fifth Store For Grocer
The new Lee’s MarketPlace store in North Salt Lake in the Foxboro Shopping Center celebrated its opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19. “We are grateful for the opportunity to serve North Salt Lake and the surrounding areas. Lee’s is known for our signature friendly guest service and community involvement. […]
Zion Market Debuts New-Concept Asian Grocery Store In Irvine
Zion Market will open its first Zion Mart store in Irvine on Wednesday with a soft opening. An official grand opening celebration will be held Feb. 16. The new store at Parkview Center will be a prototype for the family-owned and -operated Zion Market, which operates five locations in Southern California, including Buena Park and […]
Northgate Markets, Emerson Partner To Bring Food Waste Recycling System To California
Northgate Markets offers its shoppers a wide selection of fresh, healthy food like guacamoles and ceviches, but that creates a dilemma: What should be done with the food scraps? For Northgate Markets, these scraps add up quickly: Just one store in the Southern California chain uses six cases of avocados each day to prepare guacamole […]
Op-Ed: Will ‘Island’ Of California Drift Even Farther From The Mainland Under New Administration?
by Ron Fong/president and CEO, California Grocers Association The idea of California as an island dates back to at least the 16th century, when cartographers mapped it as sitting just off the western coast of North America—a mini paradise unto itself. As technology and cartography became more advanced, this misconception was corrected on world maps. […]
SMC Of San Francisco And NorCal Food Brokers Merging
The Sales Managers Club of San Francisco (SMC) held its last Hi-Jinks luncheon in December. The Hi-Jinks event is not going away, but will be sponsored by a new organization this year—the Northern California Food Industry Sales Association (FISA). FISA is the new organization formed by the merger of SMC and the Northern California Food […]
Barons Market’s Newest San Diego Store Opens In Former Fresh & Easy Unit
Barons Market on Thursday opened its newest store in the North Park neighborhood of San Diego in a former Fresh & Easy unit. The store marks the family-owned grocer’s seventh location and what the company calls its first urban store. “This store has been tailor-made to embody the distinct culture that makes North Park extraordinary,” says […]
Arizona’s Grocery Industry Hopeful For A Bright Future
by Alissa Marchat/staff writer This time last year, grocers in Arizona were feeling optimistic about the state’s economy in the year ahead, and 2016 did not disappoint, Arizona Food Marketing Alliance (AFMA) President Tim McCabe tells The Shelby Report. The Grand Canyon State’s unemployment rate has continued to fall overall, down to 5.5 percent from […]
Phil Smith Elected Stater Bros. Markets Chairman
Stater Bros. Holdings Inc., parent company of Stater Bros. Markets, has elected Phillip J. “Phil” Smith to chairman of the board of Stater Bros. Markets, following the passing of Executive Chairman Jack H. Brown on Nov. 13. Smith formerly served as vice chairman of Stater Bros. Holdings—a position to which Brown appointed him in 2012. […]
Op-Ed: Dr. Oz Lawsuit Offers An Opportunity To Inform
by Jeff Colombini/chairman, Olive Oil Commission of California In case you haven’t heard, last week a lawsuit was filed against Dr. Oz by the North American Olive Oil Association (NAOOA). The lawsuit centers around a May 12 episode of “The Dr. Oz Show” and claims that Dr. Oz violated libel laws when he stated that […]
Prototype ‘Amazon Go’ Store In Test Phase, Will Open To Public Next Year
Amazon is testing a new kind of a convenience store in Seattle, Washington, which has no POS, no cash, no clerks and no lines. At 1,800 s.f., Amazon Go is open to Amazon employees participating in a testing program and is expected to open to the public in early 2017. The retailer uses Just Walk […]
New University Of Idaho Arena Will Include Albertsons Name
Albertsons Cos. will have its name in lights on the University of Idaho campus with the commitment of $500,000 over the next 10 years to the new court-sports arena and naming rights to the scoreboard. The donation is a reflection of the longtime partnership between UI and Albertsons, according to the groups. “Albertsons and UI […]
Final Thoughts At Jack Brown’s Memorial Service Come From The Late Leader Himself
by Bob Reeves/VP-West Leave it to Jack H. Brown to get in the final word. Even at his own memorial service. At the longtime Stater Bros. leader’s celebration of life service, held Saturday at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California, a recording from 2008 found in Mr. Brown’s office desk drawer following his death […]
Pesco Becomes CEO Of Save Mart
The Save Mart Cos.’ Nicole Piccinini Pesco has been promoted to CEO of the 206-store grocery chain. She most recently served as co-president and chief strategy and branding officer for the Modesto, California-based company. In July 2015, she led Save Mart’s launch of its first new concept store format in more than 20 years with the introduction […]
Bashas’ Celebrates 30 Years In Camp Verde, Arizona
Bashas’ Supermarkets is marking a milestone in its history this week as it celebrates 30 years as Camp Verde, Arizona’s, hometown grocer. The celebration will be a community affair as shoppers of the store at 650 Finnie Flat Road are treated to three days of activities that begin on the store’s official anniversary: today, Dec. […]
2016’s Top 10 Stories Of The West
2016’s Top 10 Stories New formats, new top executives and new store ownership were at the center of most of the biggest stories of the year in the West. A number of Kroger banners, in particular, saw leadership changes this year; Kroger also got in on the format experimentation with a rebranded store in Washington […]
Sanders To Resign From Sprouts Farmers Market Board
Doug Sanders will resign as executive chairman of the Sprouts Farmers Market board of directors. He will focus his efforts on his recent appointment as CEO of a technology company. The change will become effective at the board’s next scheduled meeting on Feb. 20. “Doug has been an integral part of Sprouts since our inception and […]
Raley’s Moves To Make All Check Stands ‘Better For You’
In an ongoing effort to enhance life with health and wellness, Raley’s Family of Fine Stores says it has implemented “Better for You” check stands throughout the chain. This includes removing all artificially sweetened sodas from the check stand cold cases, while also upgrading the selection of snacks and treats—enlarging offerings such as granola bars, […]
Stater Bros.’ Jack H. Brown Passes Away
Stater Bros. Markets’ longtime leader—Mr. Jack H. Brown—has died, the company announced today. He passed away at 10:45 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, surrounded by his family. He was 78. A native of San Bernardino, California, Mr. Brown began his supermarket career as a box boy at Berk’s Market Spot in San Bernardino at the age […]
