In response to last week’s explosion and resulting devastation in West, Texas, Operation BBQ Relief has mobilized a disaster response team to serve hot nutritious meals to displaced families, emergency workers and volunteers. The nonprofit began serving meals Thursday. Operation BBQ Relief volunteers have set up at VFW Post 4819, located at 715 S. Reagan […]
Tag: business
Posted in, National, Suppliers
IRI Names Most Successful Consumer Packaged Goods Brands Of 2012
In 2011-2012, nearly 1,900 new CPG brands hit retail shelves across the U.S. multi-outlet geography, which includes traditional grocery, drug and mass market retailers, as well as sales from dollar and club channels, Walmart and military commissaries. Information Resources Inc. (IRI) announced earlier this week that only 11 percent of those launches met the stringent, […]
Posted in, National
Grocers Gather In Washington To Advocate On Industry Issues
Grocery retailers, wholesalers and food industry state association executives representing more than 30 states assembled in Washington, D.C., today to urge Congress to act on pro-business reforms that impact the bottom lines of supermarket retailers and wholesalers. Members of the National Grocers Association (NGA), Food Marketing Institute (FMI) and the Food Industry Association Executives (FIAE) […]
Posted in, C-Store News, National
Pilot Flying J Raid Reportedly Stems From Unpaid Rebates
An FBI raid of the Pilot Flying J headquarter offices in Knoxville, Tenn., on Monday reportedly resulted from an issue regarding unpaid customer rebates to some truck lines. CEO Jimmy Haslam held a press conference Tuesday and said the raid stemmed from what appears to be a “very insignificant number of customers and the application […]
Posted in, National
Industry Applauds Renewable Fuel Standard Reform
An array of agriculture, business, environment, hunger, taxpayer and public interest groups hailed U.S. Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Steve Womack (R-Ark.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) for introducing the Renewable Fuel Standard Reform Act. Their response to Wednesday’s press conference held at the House Triangle, reiterated the devastating impact the Renewable Fuel Standard […]
Posted in, National, Southeast
Sherwood Hosts Spring Food Show In Atlanta
The Sherwood Food Distributors Spring Food Show was held at the company’s headquarters in Atlanta on March 27. In the featured photo at top is Frank Underwood, Rudy Wilson and Wayne Hudson of Sunset Farm Foods. (Go here to find more photos from the show.)
Posted in, Store News, West
WinCo Plans 800,000-s.f. Phoenix Warehouse
WinCo Foods has delivered nearly $12 million in cash for a west Phoenix lot where it plans to erect an 800,000-s.f. warehouse within the next year and bring about 300 jobs to the Valley, the Phoenix Business Journal reports. According to Business Real Estate Weekly of Arizona, the 74-acre parcel—located at the southwest corner of […]
Posted in, National
Safeway Board Says CEO Burd Is Underpaid At $11.4M
Retiring Safeway CEO Steven Burd is not paid as well as his peers in the retail industry, even though he took home $11.4 million in 2012 and $11.5 million in 2011, according to the Pleasanton, Calif.-based company’s executive compensation committee. The San Francisco Business Times reports that Safeway’s audit committee—the members of the board of […]
Posted in, Industry News, Southeast
Tennessee House Approves Sales Tax Decrease On Groceries
The Tennessee House has unanimously approved a proposal to cut the state’s sales tax on groceries. The Memphis Business Journal reports that the proposal was put forward by Gov. Bill Haslam. If approved by the Senate, Tennessee’s sales tax on groceries will decrease from 7 percent to 5 percent. The decrease is expected to cost […]
Posted in, National
NGA, CART Research Showcases ‘Active Listening’ As Best Practice
For grocery retailers, customer service reputation is strengthened by maintaining an everyday practice for listening and responding to shoppers’ concerns, feedback and praise. Showcasing best practices for “active listening,” the National Grocers Association (NGA) and the Center for Advancing Retail & Technology (CART) released the first work product from their newly-launched Innovation Center at the […]
Posted in, Albertsons, National
Supervalu Cutting 1,100 Jobs Companywide
Supervalu said today that it plans to reduce its national workforce by an estimated 1,100 positions. The final working dates for impacted employees vary, based on the needs of the business and the areas they support. The reductions include both current positions and open jobs that will not be filled. “The decision to reduce our […]
Posted in, National, Store News
Dollar General Reports Jump In Same-Store Sales For 4Q, Year
Dollar General Corp. on Monday reported record sales, operating profit and net income for its fiscal 2012 fourth quarter (13 weeks) and full year (52 weeks) ended Feb. 1, 2013. “Dollar General had yet another outstanding year in 2012 including exceptionally strong fourth quarter results,” said Rick Dreiling, chairman and CEO of Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based Dollar […]
Posted in, National
Legislation Addressing Overreach Of Proposed Menu Labeling Regs Gets Support
The National Grocers Association (NGA) released the following statement supporting the introduction of a bi-partisan bill, House Resolution 1249 The Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2013, by Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.), to require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to implement the chain restaurant menu labeling provision under the […]
Posted in, National
NGA Releases Tax Reform Principles To Congress
The National Grocers Association (NGA) today released the results of a tax survey of its members in a report entitled “Principles of Tax Reform for the Independent Grocery Sector.” The report is being shared with members of Congress, including members of the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee who are undertaking comprehensive […]
Posted in, National
Hostess Authorized To Complete $800M In Sales Transactions
Hostess Brands Inc. has obtained U.S. Bankruptcy Court approval to sell the majority of its snack cake business and the majority of its bread business in separate transactions totaling approximately $800 million in proceeds. “We embarked on the sales process with one overarching goal—to maximize value for all of the company’s stakeholders—and I am pleased […]
Posted inLipari Foods, Midwest, National
Lipari Foods’ 50th Anniversary Show To Be Held April 24
One man, one station wagon and a few bottles of barbecue sauce: Jim Lipari began distributing unique products from the back of his station wagon in the early 1960s. His dream of independence and focus on customer service became a company that would one day cover the Midwest—and post 50 years of success. To commemorate […]
Posted in, National
United States Bakery Wins Remaining Hostess Bread Brands
Hostess Brands Inc. has selected United States Bakery’s approximately $30.9 million offer as the winning bid for the company’s Sweetheart, Eddy’s, Standish Farms and Grandma Emilie’s bread brands, four bakeries and 14 depots, plus certain equipment. The United States Bakery offer was selected as the highest and best bid at an auction Friday. The company […]
Posted in, Independent Store News, West
Haggen Closing Federal Way, Wash., TOP Foods Store
Haggen Inc. is closing its TOP Food & Drug store in Federal Way, Wash., in April, the company said earlier this week. The Puget Sound Business Journal reports that the closure whittles the Bellingham, Wash.-based chain to 27 supermarkets in Washington and Oregon operating under the TOP Food & Drug and Haggen Food & Pharmacy […]
Posted in, National
Little Debbie Maker Wins Bid For Hostess’ Drake’s Brand
Hostess Brands Inc. said today that the stalking horse bid submitted by McKee Foods Corp. (maker of Little Debbie snack cakes) for the Drake’s snack cake brand will be the bid presented for approval to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, as no other qualified bids were received for those assets. McKee has agreed to pay $27.5 […]
Posted in, National
Hostess Selects Winning Bid For Twinkies, Ho Hos, Ding Dongs, Others
Hostess Brands Inc. has announced that the stalking horse bid submitted by affiliates of Apollo Global Management LLC and Metropoulos & Co. for the majority of the company’s snack cake business, which includes both Hostess and Dolly Madison branded products, will be the bid presented for approval to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court as no other […]