According to multiple reports, the Supreme Court has blocked a massive sex discrimination lawsuit against Wal-Mart on behalf of female employees. The justices all agreed that the lawsuit against Wal-Mart Stores Inc. could not proceed as a class action in its current form, reversing a decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in […]
Tag: business
Posted in, Southwest
Affiliated Foods Southwest’s Former CFO Martinez Convicted
Former CEO John Mills among witnesses testifying at trial Alexander “Lex” Martinez, former CFO for Little Rock-based Affiliated Foods Southwest, was convicted June 2 of conspiring to commit bank fraud, aiding and abetting bank fraud by participating in a check-kiting scheme and aiding and abetting a false statement to a financial institution. He is the […]
Posted in, National
Consumer Reports: 2 in 3 Have Left Due to Poor Customer Service
Just how frustrated are Americans with the state of customer service? According to a new Consumer Reports survey, 65 percent are “tremendously annoyed” by rude salespeople and 64 percent of respondents said that they had left a store in the previous 12 months because of poor service. This survey is part of a larger investigation […]
Posted in, Southeast
FDA Finds Listeria at Kellogg Bakery in Augusta
The Food and Drug Administration found traces of listeria at a Kellogg Co. bakery in Augusta during an inspection earlier this year, reports The Associated Press. In a letter released June 14, regulators say that the pathogen was found in several spots along the production line that comes in direct contact with food. The FDA […]
Posted in, West
Sunflower Farmers Market Opens First California Store
Sunflower Farmers Market, the full-service natural and organic grocer famous for “serious food at silly prices,” opened its first store in the California market on May 11 at 424 Roseville Sq. Sunflower Farmers Market currently has 33 stores throughout six Southwestern states, but this is Sunflower’s first foray into California. The new store will also […]
Posted in, Northeast
A&P Completes Auction of 25 Superfresh Stores
Montvale, N.J.-based Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. Inc. (A&P) recently completed the auction of 25 southern Superfresh locations, as it continues to fully implement its comprehensive financial and operational restructuring. The winning bids, which are subject to approval from the bankruptcy court before the sales would be completed, will be listed in motions of […]
Posted in, Southeast
Publix Implements New Coupon Policy
By Ashley Bates/staff writer Today a new coupon policy at all Publix Super Markets took effect. The new policy was originally released on May 14 but took some time for signage and implementation. Brenda Reid, Media and Community Relations Manager for Publix Super Markets, said the new company protocol will make all stores uniform on […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Center Store, National
Coca-Cola Celebrates 125th Anniversary
Coca-Cola plans to celebrate its 125th anniversary all summer long with a variety of activities from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The 125 Years of Summer Fun, beginning May 8th, features two summer-long programs, promotions, advertising and celebratory packaging. “For 125 years, Coca-Cola has refreshed the world and celebrated with people as they enjoy fun […]
Posted in, National, The Independent Perspective
Are You Prepared?
The month of June marks the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season, and forecasters are predicting a busy season, but hurricanes are only one of many events that can impact retail and wholesale operations. As we’ve seen earlier this year disaster can strike at any given moment. The devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan literally […]
Posted in, Midwest
Supervalu 4Q Sales Slip Nearly 6 Percent
Company lost $1.5B in FY11 Supervalu Inc. continues to “rightsize” itself, but reported a slip in net sales and negative 5 percent same-store sales in the fourth quarter. Net sales in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 were $8.7 billion vs. $9.2 billion in the same period a year ago. Fourth quarter net earnings were $95 […]
Posted in, Equipment & Technology, National
FMI Starts Online Petition Supporting Swipe Fee Reform
by Lorrie Griffith/editor On the one-year anniversary of the Durbin Amendment in May, hometown businesses and their customers across America are still facing the financial difficulties of the ongoing battle against interchange swipe fees, according to the Food Marketing Institute (FMI). To keep focus on this important issue, FMI has launched an online petition for […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Center Store, Southeast
J.M. Smucker Buys Rowland Coffee
J.M. Smucker Co. has paid $360 million for Miami-based Rowland Coffee Roasters, whose brands include Café Pilon, Café Bustelo, Café Oquendo, Medaglia d’Oro and El Pico brands. According to the South Florida Business Journal, a news release said Rowland’s 2010 revenue of more than $110 million makes it the nation’s largest coffee company marketing to […]
Posted in, California Perspective, Guest Contributors, West
Help Us, Mr. Attorney General — Our Industry Is on the Ropes
CGA President Ronald Fong continues his series of open letters to our newly elected state constitutional officers. This issue’s letter is addressed to California Attorney General Kamal D. Harris. Dear Attorney General Harris, California is the nation’s leader in many things and most of them are admirable. But our state’s increasingly anti-grocery regulatory and litigation […]
Posted in, C-Store News, Southwest
United Supermarkets Opens First Convenience Store
United Supermarkets officially entered the convenience market with the ribbon cutting of its first United Express location at the southeast corner of 4th Street and Milwaukee Avenue in Lubbock on May 4. The location includes a six-pump fuel station and features fresh offerings along with the traditional items one would expect to find at a […]
Posted in, National, Suppliers
Mann Packing Adds Employees to Meet Market Needs
Mann Packing is expanding its staff with the addition of Christine Keller as the new director of marketing and innovation, and Fernando Azevedo as a national account manager. The director of marketing and innovation is the primary manager of the entire portfolio of Mann products for both retail and foodservice. This includes, but is not […]
Posted in, Southwest
H-E-B Lives by ‘Spirit of Giving’ Philosophy
by Terrie Ellerbee/associate editor H-E-B attracting great people is paramount. The retailer’s efforts to draw them go beyond offering a good salary and great benefits when times are good. H-E-B goes after those great people by operating a company that offers fulfilling careers, builds strong leaders and pays people well—even when the economy is declining […]
Posted in, Marketing News, National
Sarasin Outlines Grocery Trends 2011
The Shelby Report’s editor, Lorrie Griffith, and Terrie Ellerbee, associate editor, are in Dallas attending Future Connect 2011. We are posting articles live from the conference. By Lorrie Griffith/editor FMI Future Connect 2011 DALLAS–Trust was a key theme in remarks made by Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), covering […]
Posted in, Perishables, Southeast
Conference Drew More Than 330 to Hilton Head Island
A group of 330-plus frozen and refrigerated food category managers, manufacturers and sales agents gathered in Hilton Head Island in late March to network, learn and relax at the Southeastern Association Frozen & Refrigerated Food Councils’ annual conference. The Frozen and Refrigerated Food Councils from North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida sponsored the conference in […]
Posted in, From the Editor, Southeast
Chain’s Outreach to Core Customers Pays Off
It is a marketing truth that it requires a higher level of investment, as well as more effort, to attract a new customer than to keep one you already have. A direct marketing test run by South Carolina’s BI-LO supermarket chain earlier this year again proves that investing money to engage, excite and show you […]
Posted in, Beverage News, Equipment & Technology, Southeast
Sweetwater is 27th Largest Craft Brewer in the Country
SweetWater Brewing Co. keeps climbing up the ranking of America’s biggest craft beer companies. The Atlanta-based brewer, which recently discussed plans to expand its production capacity, moved up one slot to No. 27 in the Brewers Association’s list of the 50 largest independent U.S. brewers. Last year, the company was the 28th-largest craft brewery in […]