Forty-six members of the Food Marketing Institute’s (FMI) board of directors, representing the entire breadth of the food wholesale and retail industry, have called on the U.S. Congress to complete work on e-fairness legislation this year. The letter to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) says, “We urge […]
Tag: business
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Midwest
Supervalu Building Test Kitchens In Hopkins, Minnesota
Supervalu Inc. has begun expanding its research and development operations in the west metro, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports. The Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based grocer and wholesaler is building out a 9,000-s.f. addition to its offices at Highway 169 and 300 Second Avenue S. in Hopkins. The facility will be home to Supervalu’s test kitchens, […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Southwest
Walmart U.S. Delivers Positive Comp Store Sales
Walmart’s U.S. same store sales moved into positive territory for the first time in seven quarters, increasing 0.5 percent in the 13-week third quarter ended Oct. 31. Comp sales for its Neighborhood Market format increased approximately 5.5 percent during the quarter. Walmart U.S. net sales increased $2.3 billion in the third quarter, or 3.4 percent, […]
Posted in, Northeast, Store News
Price Chopper Says It Will Modernize Stores Under New Market 32 Banner
Price Chopper on Tuesday said it is unveiling a new banner for its stores—Market 32—and promised the new brand would change food shopping for the grocer’s customers by modernizing its stores and offering new services and products. Market 32 stores will begin rolling out across the New York-based chain’s six-state footprint this spring. “Market 32 […]
Posted in, National, Store News
Trader Joe’s Pioneer Dies At 82
Mr. John V. Shields Jr., a retail executive who transformed Trader Joe’s from a quirky Southern California grocery store chain into a billion-dollar enterprise with dozens of still-quirky but uniformly organized grocery stores across the country, died Oct. 31 in Thousand Oaks, California, the New York Times reports. He was 82. His death was announced […]
Posted in, National, Suppliers
Coca-Cola Reunites Famed POW Group As Part Of Its Veterans Day Recognition
They were Navy and Air Force pilots captured in North Vietnam. They were the most uncooperative, influential and subversive POWs during the Vietnam War. These men survived for up to six years in captivity at an infamous POW camp called Alcatraz. Much of their time was spent in solitary confinement. They are the “Alcatraz 11.” […]
Posted in, Equipment & Technology, National, Southeast
Fleet Advantage’s Growth Continues, Adds To Executive Team
Fleet Advantage, a leading innovator in truck fleet business analytics, equipment financing and lifecycle cost management, continues to grow its clean diesel initiative, highlighted by improvements in key business metrics, on-boarding of new clients, additional business from existing clients, new Class-8 orders in excess of 1,800 tractors and lease origination volume exceeding $200 million for […]
Posted in, Marketing News, National, Perishables
Unilever U.S. Revamping Buttery Spreads Portfolio
Unilever U.S. says it is transforming its current buttery spreads portfolio, beginning with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!, into new recipes made with real, simple ingredients like a blend of plant-based oils, purified water and a pinch of salt—and no artificial preservatives. The transformation of the spreads portfolio is part of what Unilever calls its […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Southeast
Publix Posts 5.1 Percent Sales Gain For 3Q
Publix Super Markets’ sales for the third quarter of 2014 were $7.4 billion, a 5.1 percent increase from last year’s $7 billion. Comparable-store sales for the third quarter of 2014 increased 5 percent. The Lakeland, Florida-based grocer announced the results Tuesday. Net earnings for the third quarter of 2014 were $384.2 million, compared to $359.9 […]
Posted in, Store News, West
Fry’s Food Stores, Smith’s Ratify Labor Agreement With UFCW In Arizona
Associates of Fry’s Food Stores and Smith’s Food and Drug in Arizona have ratified a new labor agreement with United Food and Commercial Workers Local 99. “Fry’s is pleased to reach an agreement that is good for our associates. The agreement offers our associates a competitive compensation package,” said Fry’s President Steve McKinney. “This agreement comes […]
Posted in, Corporate Store News, Northeast
Weis Markets’ Same-Store Sales Up 2.6 Percent In 3Q
Weis Markets on Friday reported that its third quarter sales increased 3.4 percent to $683.9 million, while its comparable store sales increased 2.6 percent compared to the same period in 2013. The company’s third quarter net income increased 17.2 percent to $13.7 million compared to $11.7 million for the same period in 2013. During the […]
Posted in, Feature, Grocery News, National, Shelby Signature Content
The Art Of Pricing—Is Walmart’s Price First Smart?
Some experts claim the U.S. economy has nearly recovered. Now if someone could convince American consumers the economy is better, retailers across all sectors would jump for joy. Unfortunately, that doesn’t look promising. Today, nearly half the U.S. population thinks the United States is still in recession, according to a recent Wall Street Journal poll. […]
Posted in, National, Suppliers
Cutrale-Safra Reaches Agreement To Buy Chiquita For $1.3B
Chiquita Brands International Inc. and the Cutrale-Safra group have reached a definitive merger agreement valued at approximately $1.3 billion. The agreement has been unanimously approved by Chiquita’s board of directors and includes Cutrale-Safra acquiring all outstanding common shares of Chiquita for $14.50 per share in cash. The companies say the transaction combines Chiquita, one of […]
Posted in, Southeast, Store News
C&S Completes Purchase Of Piggly Wiggly Carolina Wholesale Biz
C&S Wholesale Grocers of New Hampshire has finalized the purchase of Charleston, South Carolina-based Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co.’s wholesale and retail services business. “The Piggly Wiggly brand has been a Southern tradition for over 60 years, and we are proud to partner with the many talented independent owners to grow this beloved banner,” C&S executives […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Center Store, National, Suppliers
Coca-Cola Looks To ‘Reinvigorate Growth’
The Coca-Cola Co. says it plans to take actions to reinvigorate growth, supporting the Atlanta-based company’s previously announced five strategic priorities to restore momentum and the company’s long-term growth target of high single-digit comparable currency neutral EPS. “We are taking decisive action to position The Coca-Cola Co. to continue delivering long-term value for our shareowners,” […]
Posted in, Beverage News, National, New Products, Southeast
Professional Golfers Introduce GolfBeer
Three of the top names in professional golf are now in the beer business. Freddie Jacobson, Keegan Bradley and Graeme McDowell are launching a series of easy-drinking craft beers through their new company, GolfBeer Brewing Co. The move marks the first time professional golfers have started their own beer company and have been associated with […]
Posted in, Independent Store News, Southeast
Rouses, AG-Baton Rouge Trial Ends With Settlement
Following three days of trial last week, Rouses Markets and Associated Grocers-Baton Rouge have reached a settlement. The terms of the settlement are confidential. “The Rouse family is very satisfied with this resolution,” Donny Rouse, managing partner of Rouses, said in a statement today. The two Louisiana-based businesses were reportedly in court over whether Rouses […]
Posted in, National, Store News
Nearly Half Of Americans Likely To Avoid Retailers Affected By Data Breaches
This holiday season, nearly half of Americans are likely to avoid shopping at stores that were affected by data breaches over the past year, according to a new CreditCards.com report. This includes large retailers like Target, Home Depot and Neiman Marcus. Forty-five percent of major credit and debit card holders say they would “definitely” or […]
Posted in, National, Produce News, West
Wonderful Halos, Mulholland Citrus Collaborate To Expand Mandarin Market
Paramount Citrus, America’s largest citrus grower, has partnered with Mulholland Citrus, one of the top California-based mandarin farming, packing and selling operations, to become the exclusive sales agent for Mulholland Citrus’ mandarins. The goal of the partnership is to expand the consumption and category of mandarins across North America by consolidating volume in the No. 1 […]
Posted in, Southwest, Store News
Dollar General To Build New DC In San Antonio, Texas
Dollar General Corp. plans to build a new state-of-the-art distribution center in San Antonio, Texas. It will be the 13th facility in the Tennessee-based retailer’s distribution network. The company has begun the process of preparing the land to build a more than 900,000-s.f. facility on 110 acres at South Foster Industrial Park. At full capacity, […]