More than 50,000 residents of a California community have increased access to healthy foods and 140 jobs closer to home, as $1.7 million in unique financing allows a new business to invest in San Luis Obispo County. One of the first loans disbursed by California FreshWorks Fund LLC provides El Rancho Marketplace the means to […]
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.
Posted in, Executive News, West
Haggen CEO Gabriel Resigns
Clarence “Gabe” Gabriel has stepped down as president and CEO of Haggen Inc. and is being replaced by three experienced members of the grocery company’s management team, The Bellingham Herald reports. Gabriel’s resignation letter was accepted by the Haggen board of directors Friday, Dec. 7, and was relayed to company employees, said Clement Stevens, who […]
Posted in, National, West
United Natural Foods Workers At Auburn, Wash., D.C. Go On Strike
Workers at the United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) distribution center in Auburn, Wash., located at 22 30th St. NE, have gone on strike in response to what they say is the company’s refusal to negotiate over mandatory subjects of bargaining and other unlawful actions. Picket lines were established at 7 p.m. Monday. “UNFI is not […]
Posted in, Albertsons, National, West
2012’s Top Stories In The West
A number of big stories came out of the western states in 2012. Below are the most noteworthy as reported by The Shelby Report this year. Haggen Rolls Out Rebranding Program Bellingham, Wash.-based Haggen launched its Northwest Fresh rebranding program at its Bellevue store in late 2011, and this year the company began extending the […]
Posted in, Albertsons, Executive News, West
Former Supervalu Execs Join Unified Grocers
Unified Grocers has appointed Susan M. Klug as SVP and CMO and Leon G. Bergmann as SVP of sales, a new position at Unified. The announcement was made jointly on Dec. 3 by Unified Grocers CEO by Al Plamann and President Bob Ling. Both Klug and Bergmann previously worked for Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Supervalu. Klug, […]
Posted in, Store News, West
Walgreens Debuts Los Angeles Flagship Store At Sunset and Vine
Walgreens on Saturday welcomed the public to the official opening of its 8,000th store nationwide and its first flagship store on the West Coast, located in Los Angeles at the corner of Sunset and Vine. The store features an extensive collection of innovative offerings, products and services—perhaps unexpected from a drugstore. “We are thrilled to […]
Posted in, National, West
Bristol Farms’ Kevin Davis Elected CGA Board Chair
Kevin Davis, president and CEO of Bristol Farms, was elected as the 2012-13 board chairman for the California Grocers Association (CGA) during the group’s annual meeting Friday. As chairman, Davis will lead the association’s strategy over the numerous legislative, educational and industry-related programs. CGA is comprised of more than 400 retail companies operating more than […]
Posted in, West
Paramount Citrus Cuts Ribbon On World’s Largest Citrus Packinghouse
Delano, Calif.-based Paramount Citrus celebrated Friday the grand opening of its new citrus packinghouse, which will be home to the company’s sweet, seedless, E-Z peel Cuties California Mandarins. The facility is more than 640,000 s.f.—the equivalent of 11 football fields under roof—making it the world’s largest citrus packinghouse. “This new Cuties Plant gives us a […]
Posted in, National, West
Greater Phoenix Expands ‘California 50’ Program
One week after the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) launched the California 50 program, the organization is expanding the program—which aims to fly 50 Golden State CEOs to the Phoenix metro region for an opportunity to tour and explore the market—to 100 California-based CEOs due to high demand. “The response to the California 50 program […]
Posted in, Store News, West
Raley’s And Nob Hill Reach Agreement With Union
Negotiators with Raley’s Family of Fine Stores and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) reached an agreement today, ending the nine-day-old grocery strike. “This is very exciting because this contract provides us with the cost savings we need to fund our vision and the initiatives to make us more competitive in the 21st century,” […]
Posted in, Suppliers, West
House Foods America Acquires El Burrito Mexican Food Products
House Foods America Corp., subsidiary of House Foods Corp. Japan, has completed its acquisition of El Burrito Mexican Food Products Inc., a leading healthy Mexican food brand based in City of Industry, Calif. The transaction includes substantially all of the assets of the company, which will be renamed El Burrito Mexican Foods Products Corp., and […]
Posted in, Store News, West
Raley’s, Union Returning To Contract Negotiations
After a week of a strike and picketing at Raley’s and Nob Hill stores, the grocery chain and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union have announced a return to contract negotiations, the Sacramento Business Journal reports. In a Sunday announcement, West Sacramento, Calif.-based Raley’s said both sides have agreed not to talk about […]
Posted in, West
Frieda’s Hosts Produce Retailers From India
Retailers from India recently made a stop at Frieda’s Inc. to get an insider perspective on the operation side of a wholesale specialty produce company. The tour consisted of 10 retailers who represented Walmart, Tesco and Metro Markets in India. They were in town for their first experience of PMA Fresh Summit, held late last […]
Posted in, Store News, West
Safeway Reaches Tentative Agreement With NorCal UFCW Locals
Pleasanton, Calif.-based Safeway Inc. has reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year labor agreement with United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Locals 5, 8 and 648 representing the company’s employees in Northern California. The new agreement will be recommended for ratification by the local unions to their members. “This new agreement provides our […]
Posted in, Store News, West
Lazy Acres Hosts Big Grand Opening For New Long Beach Store
More than 300 customers waited in a line that wrapped around the newest Lazy Acres store in Long Beach, Calif., on Wednesday in anticipation of the grocer’s grand opening. “We’re real excited about the turnout that we’ve had for the grand opening,” Kevin Davis, president and CEO of Bristol Farms, which owns the Lazy Acres […]
Posted in, National, West
Prop 37 Defeated: California Voters Say No To GMO Labeling Proposal
Proposition 37, which would have required labeling of genetically modified foods, was soundly defeated Tuesday in California, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The measure trailed 53 percent to 47 percent with nearly 90 percent of the vote counted at 3:30 a.m. (PT) Proposition 37 advocates relied on social media and a strong grass-roots campaign […]
Posted in, Store News, West
Stater Bros. Super Rx Pharmacies Offering Free Antibiotics
Stater Bros. Supermarkets’ 27 Super Rx Pharmacies throughout Southern California on Nov. 1 began offering free antibiotics based on a 14-day eligible quantity. This includes refills to anyone with or without health insurance coverage who presents a prescription. Five different classes of antibiotics are available, including: • Amoxicillin (Generic for Amoxil); • Ampicillin; • Ciprofloxacin […]
Posted in, Store News, West
Foods Co. To Build New Store In East Oakland
Foods Co. plans to start construction on an 80,000-s.f. new store in Foothill Square in Oakland, the San Francisco Business Times reports. The store at 10790 MacArthur Blvd. will be the supermarket’s first store in Oakland. It plans to finish construction in the summer of 2013. Foods Co., a division of Kroger Co., made plans […]
Posted in, Store News, West
Natural Grocers Opens New Store In Missoula, Mont.
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage opened its 60th store Tuesday with its newest location in Missoula, Mont. The Missoula store at 2530 South 3rd St. West is the company’s second Montana location, after opening in Billings over the summer. Natural Grocers is a grocery chain based in Colorado that offers only natural and organic products, […]
Posted in, Store News, West
Metropolitan’s Borracchini Earns Wash. Best Bagger Title For 2nd Year
Andrew Borracchini, an 18-year-old grocery bagger from West Seattle’s Metropolitan Market has bagged the championship in the Washington State Best Bagger competition for the second year in a row. He competed and won against 11 other contestants from across the state for the $1,500 cash prize and an all-expense paid trip to compete at the […]