Albertsons Cos., along with its foundation, is celebrating a decade of fighting hunger through its Nourishing Neighbors program. The program has raised $297 million over the past 10 years to support food insecure communities. As part of the anniversary celebration, Albertsons’ private label brand, O Organics, is donating $7 million, and the equivalent of 28 […]
Category: West
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, West
Oregon’s Productivity Outpacing Nation, But Population Growth Remains Unchanged
From staff reports Oregon’s productivity gains have outpaced the nation, according to the March 2024 Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast from the state’s Office of Economic Analysis. The report states the 2023 population estimates show that Oregon’s population continued to stagnate during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the OEA has lowered the population outlook as a […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, West
Employee-Owned McKay’s Market Maintains Hometown Feel
McKay’s Market is a small independent grocery chain on the Oregon coast. In business for more than 70 years, the company operates 11 stores and is 100-percent employee owned. Kevin Murray, chief operations officer, has been with McKay’s for 41 years. He started his grocery career when he was 12, bagging ice and sorting bottles […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, West
Watsonville Store Latest In Vallarta’s California Expansion
Vallarta Supermarkets’ first store in Santa Cruz County, California, is set to open June 12 at 1702 Freedom Blvd. in Watsonville. “We are looking forward to serving the community and providing new jobs in the area,” said COO Cesar Gonzalez. “As with all our Vallarta Supermarkets locations, we are dedicated to providing quality products and […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Albertsons, Corporate Store News, Gelson's, Guest Contributors, The Kroger Co., West
Wild West Of Grocery: A Look At Dynamic Landscape Of Western U.S.
by Diana Leza Sheehan / founder and principal consultant, PDG Insights The grocery store aisles of the American West provide a unique picture compared to the rest of the country. Beyond familiar national brands, the diversity of its population and storied history of the region has shaped shopping habits and a demand for non-traditional ingredients, […]
Posted inCorporate Store News, New Seasons Market, West
New Seasons Market’s ‘Nourish Our Neighbors’ Helps Local Nonprofits
From May 15-21, New Seasons Market hosted its annual Nourish Our Neighbors Match (previously known as Hunger Relief Match), benefitting 10 local nonprofits that provide food equity and access. The Portland, Oregon-based grocer matched customer donations throughout the week, aiming to double each dollar collected. “Addressing the root causes of food insecurity and a lack of […]
Posted inAssociation News, Albertsons, Executive News, West
WAFC Elects 2024-25 Board Of Directors’ Leadership Team
The Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC) recently elected its new board of directors’ leadership team at its annual convention held in Aurora, Colorado. Nancy Lebold, CEO of New Seasons Market in Portland, Oregon, has been appointed as president and chairperson of the board of directors. She takes over the position from Paul Gianetto, SVP […]
Posted inGelson's, Online Grocery Technology, West
Gelson’s Strengthens Fresh Food Operations With Invafresh
Gelson’s Markets has expanded its partnership with Invafresh to include in-store production and centralized kitchen operations. By using the AI-enhanced capabilities of the Invafresh Fresh Retail Platform, Gelson’s has been able to improve operational efficiency across its 27 full-service specialty grocery stores by reducing shrink, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and having a centralized repository of […]