Owners of Hickory Harvest Foods Inc. have partnered in forming a separate company, American Confection Co., in Columbus, Ohio. The company currently sees lots of growth potential in the enrobing and panning industry of confections, milk chocolate and all natural products. It adheres to high-quality standards with no hydrogenated oils and products are Kosher certified, […]
Tag: business
Posted in, C-Store News, National
Hunt Bros Pizza Continues Four-Race Sponsorship For Nationwide Season
Hunt Brothers Pizza will be the primary sponsor for four races with Richard Childress Racing’s (RCR) new 2013 Chevrolet Camaro NASCAR Nationwide racecar. Kevin Harvick will drive No. 33 at the Texas Motor Speedway on April 12. “We are eager for the 2013 NASCAR season and to showcase the Hunt Brothers Pizza paint job on […]
Posted in, Independent Store News, Midwest
Spartan Stores Signs Distribution Agreement With Chief Super Market
Spartan Stores Inc., a leading regional grocery distributor and retailer, has entered into a distribution agreement with Chief Super Market Inc., under which Spartan Stores will be its primary wholesale grocery supplier. Chief currently is supplied by Supervalu. Chief operates 12 stores in Northwest and West Central Ohio under the Chief and Rays banners. Spartan […]
Posted in, National
CCRRC Releases Final Installments Of ‘Social Web’ Study
As the supermarket industry strives to effectively leverage the power of social media, the final installments from a topical study by The Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council (CCRRC) offer detailed rules of engagement to develop strategies and action plans to address internal and external audiences. The final two reports from the CCRRC study, “Untangling the Social […]
Posted in, National
NGA Files Amicus Curiae Brief With U.S. Supreme Court
The National Grocers Association (NGA), along with the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) and National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), has submitted a brief to the Supreme Court of the United States, as amici curiae, in American Express Co. et al. vs. Italian Colors Restaurant et al. The brief was submitted on behalf of the […]
Posted in, National
Crossmark Creates BrandMasters For Experiential Marketing Solutions
Crossmark, a leading sales and marketing services company in the consumer goods industry, has formed BrandMasters— a new experiential marketing agency that will provide turnkey solutions for brands to create meaningful shopper experiences through personal engagement. Crossmark says it created BrandMasters to meet the growing need among consumer goods brands to effectively influence shoppers on […]
Posted in, Executive News, Southwest
Boyer Coffee Names Former Walmart Exec Its CEO
Denver coffee distributor Boyer Coffee Co. has named Mark Goodman its new CEO and president, the Denver Business Journal reports. Goodman has been a professional with Evergreen Mergers & Acquisitions. He previously held various executive positions with Walmart Stores Inc.’s Sam’s Club division, McDonald’s Corp., EZ Lube Inc. and the Save-A-Lot grocery chain. At one […]
Posted in, Southeast, Store News
Walmart Opening Its Smallest Store On Ga. Tech Campus
Walmart plans to open a miniature version of its typical store on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta in the second quarter of this year, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. It will be the Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer’s smallest store in the U.S. The Walmart on Campus concept is a test format that focuses on pharmacy, basic […]
Posted in, National, West
Cacique USA Founder To Be Honored With Lifetime Achievement Award
Gilbert de Cardenas, founder of Cacique USA, will receive the Dairy Deli Bakery Council of Southern California’s Lifetime Achievement Award during the group’s dinner meeting on Feb. 12. Cardenas’ family-owned and -operated business is one of the great American success stories that began in the early 1970s when the family received its Visa to come […]
Posted in, National
NGA Promotes Munster, Ott To VP Roles
The National Grocers Association (NGA) has promoted Aileen Dullaghan Munster to VP of education and research and Matthew R. Ott to VP of membership and information technology. Munster previously served as director of education and research for NGA. She is responsible for setting strategy for education initiatives as well as the development and management of […]
Posted in, National
Flowers Foods Going After Hostess Bread Brands, Bakeries
Flowers Foods Inc. has signed two asset purchase agreements with Hostess Brands Inc. as the “stalking horse bidder” for certain Hostess assets. The announcement was made Jan. 11. One of the agreements provides for the purchase by Flowers of the Wonder, Nature’s Pride, Merita, Home Pride and Butternut bread brands; 20 bakeries; and approximately 38 […]
Posted in, National, West
Pamela’s Hires New Employees, Leverages Expertise After Expansion
On the heels of its $1 million bakery expansion earlier this year, Ukiah, Calif.-based Pamela’s Products continues to grow its expertise with two new hires, Business Manager Donna Williams and Sales and Marketing Coordinator Hannah Hershey. GM Alana Rouse also assumes a larger role at the 76,000-s.f facility, leading a 64-person team to build upon […]
Posted in, Equipment & Technology, National
Western Union Signs Five-Year Agreement With Safeway
The Western Union Co., a leader in financial services, has renewed an agreement with Safeway Inc., one of the largest food and drug retailers in North America. Under the terms of the agreement, more than 1,640 Safeway store locations across the United States and Canada will continue to offer Western Union global money transfer services. […]
Posted in, Southwest
Colorado’s Grant Family Farms Files For Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Colorado’s first Certified Organic Farm—Grant Family Farms—has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, The Denver Post reports. “Grant Family Farms is confident that some things are worth saving and believes that this community-supported farm is one of them,” the farm said in a statement. “The Farm is working hard and is hopeful that it will emerge […]
Posted in, National
Top Customer Experience Trends To Watch In 2013
Temkin Group, a leading market research and consulting firm that helps organizations improve their customer experience, has released its forecast of 13 customer experience trends to watch in 2013. In a previous research report, The Future of Customer Experience, Temkin Group identified that the practice of customer experience had entered into what it calls The […]
Posted in, National
La. Ag Commissioner Responds To Congress’ Farm Bill Extension
Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, DVM, has responded to Congress’ Farm Bill extension: “While Congress worked on passing the fiscal cliff bill over the New Year holiday, those in the agriculture industry eagerly anticipated movement on the expired Farm Bill. A short-term extension of the bill blocks milk and bread prices […]
Posted in, National, Suppliers
Hormel Foods Buys Skippy Peanut Butter Brand For $700M
Hormel Foods, the maker of Spam luncheon meat, is paying $700 million to buy the Skippy peanut butter brand from consumer products maker Unilever, the companies announced today. CNNMoney reports that Hormel said Skippy has annual sales of $370 million, nearly $100 million of which comes from outside the U.S. Skippy, which was first introduced […]
Posted in, National
NGA President Lauds Passage Of Taxpayer Relief Act
Peter J. Larkin, president and CEO of the National Grocers Association (NGA), has released the following statement regarding the passage of the Taxpayer Relief Act: “NGA applauds Congress and the president for averting an economic disaster, albeit at the 13th hour, with the passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act (House Resolution 8). The bill, […]
Posted in, Albertsons, National
Tough Times On Horizon For 2013 Grocery Biz
Stater Bros.’ Jack Brown: Year ahead will be one of the most competitive by Kristen Cloud/staff writer If you thought the past few years were tough for business, just wait until 2013 runs its course—at least according to Jack H. Brown, chairman and CEO of San Bernardino-based Stater Bros. Markets, which operates 167 stores in […]
Posted in, Executive News, National
Walmart’s Karen Roberts Promoted to EVP, General Counsel
Walmart Stores Inc. has promoted 17-year company veteran Karen Roberts, 42, to EVP and general counsel for the Bentonville, Ark.-based company, reporting to EVP and Corporate Secretary Jeff Gearhart, 48. The appointment is effective Feb. 1, 2013. In her new role, Roberts will manage the legal department, which is responsible for handling all legal matters […]