San Diego-based natural grocer Barons Market has installed olive oil and vinegar tasting stations in all six of its locations. Ten olive oils and 14 vinegars fill silver vats at each store’s tasting station, where shoppers will find bread for dipping. Unique flavors include citrus habanero olive oil and honey ginger white balsamic vinegar, with […]
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.
Ralphs President To Retire After 44 Years Of Service
The Kroger Co. has reported that Donna Giordano, Ralphs division president, will retire effective July 23, after 44 years of service. Valerie Jabbar, current VP of merchandising for Ralphs, has been promoted to succeed her. “Donna’s distinguished leadership has helped Ralphs continue to grow, serve more customers in the highly-competitive Southern California market, and help […]
Super King Markets Opens 7th Store In Santa Ana, California
Super King Markets is opening its seventh location in July in Santa Ana, California. The Los Angeles-based specialty chain is known for its selection of fresh produce, meat, seafood and deli products, as well as grocery products from all over the world, along with Heathy Directions, a line that includes organic, natural and gluten- and […]
Raley’s Donates Thousands Of Kitchen Utensils To Local Charities
Raley’s Family of Fine Stores, in partnership with Bradshaw International, has donated more than $80,000 worth of kitchen utensils to various organizations within the community. In January, Raley’s underwent a chainwide conversion from Chef Style brand kitchen gadgets to Good Cook kitchen utensils. The distributor, Bradshaw International, donated the remaining Chef Style products, which amounted […]
Save Mart Supermarkets Changes Corporate Name To The Save Mart Cos.
Save Mart Supermarkets has changed its corporate name to The Save Mart Companies, effective June 20. The company has been operating under the store names of Save Mart, Lucky, Lucky California, FoodMaxx, S-Mart and MaxxValue. According to The Save Mart Cos., in addition to providing a clear distinction between its Save Mart stores and the […]
CMI Releases Behind-The-Scenes Video Of Rainier Cherry Harvest
The Rainier cherry harvest reached its seasonal harvest peak in mid-June, and Columbia Marketing International (CMI) expects its cherries to be 85 percent harvested by June 26. Because few retailers or consumers will ever have an opportunity to see the harvest in person, CMI has released a video highlighting one of its growers, offering a […]
Stater Bros. Charities Sends Care Packages To Deployed Service Members
More than 200 members of the Stater Bros. “family” of employees, friends, suppliers and representatives from Operation Community Cares, a local organization that supports the U.S. troops, gathered to prepare 1,000 care packages for local military members serving overseas in celebration of Armed Forces Day. The event took place on Saturday, May 21, 2016 at the Stater Bros. […]
Powdered Alcohol Ban In California Awaits Governor’s Signature
Alcohol Justice and the California Alcohol Policy Alliance (CAPA) are reporting that the Senate Governmental Organization Committee unanimously passed AB 155 on June 14. The bill, authored by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), and coauthored by Sen. Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar), previously had passed unopposed through the Assembly. It will prohibit the possession, purchase, sale, […]
Evans Brewing Co. Bolsters Distribution To Washington
Craft beer maker Evans Brewing Co. has expanded its product distribution to Washington with the signing of an agreement with Browar Polska Inc. to distribute the company’s core year-round packaged beers to retailers in the state. Evans Brewing 22-oz. bottles are landing on shelves in the Washington market now. Washington has traditionally been a key […]
Gelson’s Markets Holding June Fundraiser For CF Foundation
Starting June 6 and through the rest of the month, Gelson’s is holding a fundraiser to benefit those who live with cystic fibrosis (CF). Gelson’s operates 25 upscale grocery markets throughout Southern California, and with its shoppers, the grocer hopes to raise funds to help find a cure for this inherited disease that targets the […]
Grocery Outlet Sets Cage-Free Egg Goal
Extreme-value grocery retailer Grocery Outlet Bargain Market is working with suppliers to source 100 percent cage-free eggs for all of its locations by 2025, based on available supply. “Many Grocery Outlet stores serve underserved populations who regularly experience food insecurity. Our first obligation is to these customers, and we are committed to providing them wholesome, quality […]
USC FIM Capstone Team: Bring Store Technology Into 21st Century
Team Invisible Hands, one of two USC Food Industry Management (FIM) Program teams chosen to present their capstone projects at the Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC) convention in April in Hawaii, wants to drastically change the way grocery stores operate. With the rise of online and high-tech retailers like Amazon, the average brick-and-mortar grocer […]
Stater Bros. Charities To Send 1,000 Care Packages On Armed Forces Day
More than 200 members of the Stater Bros. “family” of employees, friends and suppliers as well as representatives from Operation Community Cares, a local organization that supports the U.S. troops, will gather to prepare 1,000 care packages for local military members currently serving overseas in celebration of Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 21. The event […]
GMA Creates BPA Database To Help Industry Comply With Calif. Prop 65
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) has created a database for food and beverage companies to list products whose packaging may contain bisphenol A (BPA), as required under a new California regulation, Proposition 65, that went into effect May 11. California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) implemented an emergency regulation on April 18 that […]
Raley’s And iFoster Mark One-Year Anniversary Of Foster Youth Hiring Program
In conjunction with Foster Care Awareness Month, Raley’s Family of Fine Stores and iFoster commemorated one year of hiring foster youth by hosting 1,000 youngsters at the Sacramento River Cats game at Raley Field on May 7. The event marked the largest group of foster youth ever assembled for such a celebration. “We are so grateful […]
Calif. Governor Signs Tobacco 21 Bill, Prevention Organization Responds
California Governor Jerry Brown last week signed into law a bill that raises California’s legal age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21. The law is set to take effect on June 9. By increasing the tobacco age to 21, the nation’s largest state follows similar measures taken by others. The state of Hawaii […]
Red Button Pies Win Blue Ribbons At National Competition
Red Button Vintage Creamery Premium Pies now are blue-ribbon winners. Its Dazzleberry Lattice and Apple Crumb pies recently were recognized at The American Pie Council (APC) National Pie Championship in Orlando, Florida. The two flavors won for Best Super Gourmet Pies in the Commercial Pie category and were selected from more than 400 entries. “We […]
Smart & Final’s Net Sales Up Double Digits In 1Q
Smart & Final Stores, the value-oriented food and everyday staples retailer, reported May 3 that its net sales increased 10.5 percent to $908.5 million in the 12-week first quarter ended March 27. Its comparable store sales growth was 2 percent, and it operated 290 stores at quarter-end, including 143 Smart & Final Extra! stores, which […]
Marquez Bros. Mexican Products: Healthy and Authentic…Si!
by Sudie Crouch/contributing writer Marquez Brothers International Inc. is known for authentic, traditional Mexican products in several categories—dairy, canned and dry as well as meat products under several brands, including its El Mexicano® flagship brand. The products are distributed across the U.S., with distribution hubs in California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Texas, Chicago and Atlanta. Even […]
Food City Holding Grand Opening ‘Fiesta’ In Phoenix
Food City says Cinco de Mayo will kick off a day early in west Phoenix as it opens the doors of its newly-remodeled location at the northwest corner of McDowell Road and 51st Avenue in Phoenix on Wednesday, May 4. In addition to several food sampling stations throughout the store, shoppers will be treated to […]
